Milo & Ellie

How could he tell Ellie about his one and only friend Rocco? He could see how apprehensive she was. Milo knew she was expecting it to be just the two of them. But if it wasn't for Rocco squatting the place, there would be no home to go, too.

"Look, I..I would trust him with my mother." Milo said the next morning after they woke up late. Naturally, it was only sleep they'd needed. The air travel took a toll on both of them. She made the bed as if she might as well be his maid.

She went to make something semi-international, vegetarian omelettes with lots of hot sauce. Of course, she wouldn't talk about the situation. He had a feeling she'd been is worse living conditions. Rocco was a roommate. Of course, Rocco was pleased with her cooking.

But instead of eating, she watched them eat.

"Aren't you hungry?" Milo looked at her, thinking she did eat like a bird after all.

"Tea and toast is enough." She'd spread some jam and peanut-butter on toast. She washed up the dishes as soon as they ate.

"I didn't want you to come all this way, just to do the dishes." Milo's voice was soft as he came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around, whispering in her ear. He stole a kiss. He could tell he'd tickled her long neck as she edged away, but not too much. "I want you to be happy."

She told him she was glad to be with him. "I'll get used to him." But she was straight lipped as she wiped down the red counter in the skinny galley kitchen. The home was well used by his grandmother. All her fragments of time were from the calendar pictures of lighthouses and beaches along the walls and the photos he taken with her when he was young.

Milo sighed. and dried the dish she was drying. He then put it away.

He wanted to go out with her. He wanted to show her the neighborhood, but it was so cold, in spite of a little snow. It was in the negative numbers and the wind chill was awful.

"We..we could look through my grandmother's things." He then said as he turned her to him. "Its even too cold to ask my mother over." He told Ellie that his mother preferred Florida during the winter months.

 Rocco left for work.

Milo smiled. Oh, the things  they could do while Rocco was out.