Sharing Space (The Complete Series) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Nina Perez
provides me with what I need, and that is enough."
I wasn’t sure how to respond so I just continued on with the tour. "Oh, okay. Here's the kitchen. My old roommate and I were pretty relaxed about the groceries. I mean, we sometimes did the shopping together and split the cost down the middle. We didn't worry about putting our names on stuff, you know? But if that's a problem for you, I thought I could just section off the shelves in the fridge and the cabinets and we each keep our things separate?" I opened the door to the fridge so she could see what I meant. She simply nodded and glanced inside.
"I see you drink alcohol."
Was that a question? I wasn't sure but, from the look she was giving me, I suddenly felt like the kitchen floor would open up and drop both the bottles of wine and myself into hell.
"Um, yes... well, occasionally?"
What was I doing? If Miss Holy Roller didn't like it, well, too bad. Why was I explaining myself to a stranger? I'm a grown-ass woman, and I don't have to answer to anybody so she could just... oh, there was that look again. It reminded me of the looks my mother would give me when I was cutting up in church with my cousin. I decided to move the tour along before she pinched my ear, also like my mom used to do.
Briefly I explained the problem with the shower. That, too, warranted nothing more than a nod from Heather. I led her to the bedrooms and took that opportunity to explain the rules of the building that Mr. Tucci had set forth.
"Other than that, things are pretty laid back around here. If you have a male friend that you'd like to sleep over, it's not a problem...." Before I realized my mistake, the words were already out of my mouth.
"Ever since the Lord spoke to me I don't indulge in such things as premarital sex."
Somehow, I was not surprised. I was about to usher her to the front door when she surprised me by placing a hand on my arm. "Chloe,” she said, like we were old friends. "The Lord spoke to me and told me that I would soon come into the life of someone in need of guidance. I have learned over the years that I've been saved not to question the Lord and His messages. Although at the time I was not sure who this person would be, I had faith in His word. I know now that person is you."
Huh?
"It's apparent to me that you need help, the kind of help that only He can provide. The Lord speaks to me and He never steers me wrong. Never. Moving in here with you would benefit us both. It would allow me to continue the Lord's work, to spread His word, and it will allow you to open your heart and give your life to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
It's true that I hadn't been to church since Michael Jackson had a Jheri curl, but did I deserve this? Every time I spoke to my Mom in North Carolina she questioned my church-going habits and expressed several times her desire to see her only child make it to Heaven. I kept my feelings on organized religion private because the truth was I had no idea if there was a God or not. I did know that I didn't need to travel to church every Sunday to prove I was a good person or lived a good life, and I damn sure wasn’t going to be a brownie point for this woman to earn her Conversion Badge.
"Maybe so. How about I call you after I've met the other applicants?" I tried really hard not to look as desperate as I was to get her out of my apartment.
"That will be fine, but know this: The Lord is never wrong, Chloe."
"Of course not. I have your number."
As I closed the door on her smiling face, I wondered when the Lord would tell her she wasn’t moving in here.
***
Around one-thirty Ms. LaKeera Jones breezed into the apartment looking six kinds of ghetto fabulous. I wasn't aware people still wore acid-washed denim but, apparently in LaKeera's world, they did. She had on the tightest, shortest denim skirt I’d ever seen with a matching jacket. A leopard print
I wasn’t sure how to respond so I just continued on with the tour. "Oh, okay. Here's the kitchen. My old roommate and I were pretty relaxed about the groceries. I mean, we sometimes did the shopping together and split the cost down the middle. We didn't worry about putting our names on stuff, you know? But if that's a problem for you, I thought I could just section off the shelves in the fridge and the cabinets and we each keep our things separate?" I opened the door to the fridge so she could see what I meant. She simply nodded and glanced inside.
"I see you drink alcohol."
Was that a question? I wasn't sure but, from the look she was giving me, I suddenly felt like the kitchen floor would open up and drop both the bottles of wine and myself into hell.
"Um, yes... well, occasionally?"
What was I doing? If Miss Holy Roller didn't like it, well, too bad. Why was I explaining myself to a stranger? I'm a grown-ass woman, and I don't have to answer to anybody so she could just... oh, there was that look again. It reminded me of the looks my mother would give me when I was cutting up in church with my cousin. I decided to move the tour along before she pinched my ear, also like my mom used to do.
Briefly I explained the problem with the shower. That, too, warranted nothing more than a nod from Heather. I led her to the bedrooms and took that opportunity to explain the rules of the building that Mr. Tucci had set forth.
"Other than that, things are pretty laid back around here. If you have a male friend that you'd like to sleep over, it's not a problem...." Before I realized my mistake, the words were already out of my mouth.
"Ever since the Lord spoke to me I don't indulge in such things as premarital sex."
Somehow, I was not surprised. I was about to usher her to the front door when she surprised me by placing a hand on my arm. "Chloe,” she said, like we were old friends. "The Lord spoke to me and told me that I would soon come into the life of someone in need of guidance. I have learned over the years that I've been saved not to question the Lord and His messages. Although at the time I was not sure who this person would be, I had faith in His word. I know now that person is you."
Huh?
"It's apparent to me that you need help, the kind of help that only He can provide. The Lord speaks to me and He never steers me wrong. Never. Moving in here with you would benefit us both. It would allow me to continue the Lord's work, to spread His word, and it will allow you to open your heart and give your life to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
It's true that I hadn't been to church since Michael Jackson had a Jheri curl, but did I deserve this? Every time I spoke to my Mom in North Carolina she questioned my church-going habits and expressed several times her desire to see her only child make it to Heaven. I kept my feelings on organized religion private because the truth was I had no idea if there was a God or not. I did know that I didn't need to travel to church every Sunday to prove I was a good person or lived a good life, and I damn sure wasn’t going to be a brownie point for this woman to earn her Conversion Badge.
"Maybe so. How about I call you after I've met the other applicants?" I tried really hard not to look as desperate as I was to get her out of my apartment.
"That will be fine, but know this: The Lord is never wrong, Chloe."
"Of course not. I have your number."
As I closed the door on her smiling face, I wondered when the Lord would tell her she wasn’t moving in here.
***
Around one-thirty Ms. LaKeera Jones breezed into the apartment looking six kinds of ghetto fabulous. I wasn't aware people still wore acid-washed denim but, apparently in LaKeera's world, they did. She had on the tightest, shortest denim skirt I’d ever seen with a matching jacket. A leopard print
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