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22
Max
I ordereda Hawaiian pizza while Tatum went through her closet. She was throwing things out left and right and I had no idea of what her process entailed. We had been going through things and packing for the past 3 hours. I had the kitchen packed up. On the boxes, I wrote what was in each box, hoping she would appreciate that. I separated the items basing them on what I already had at the house, versus what she had. I had moved onto her hallways closet which had hundreds of towels and blankets. I’ve got a good amount of both, but I know she would want to have her say in what she brought so I just took everything out and then folded it neatly in two piles.
She emerged from her closet, looking like she was a wild woman, her hair was in a messy bun and her clothes looked wrinkled. She looked hungry too, so I was glad the pizza was on the way. I went into her kitchen pantry and opened a can of pineapples.
Her pineapple craving was adorable. I smiled as I tossed the top and rummaged through her drawers for a fork. I turned the corner and she was standing in the hallway looking at the two piles in super hero pose.
I handed her the pineapples and watched the shock on her face then melt into gratitude. She then forked several pieces into her mouth and mid-chew pointed with the fork to the piles with a puzzled look on her face.
My turn to talk. “I didn’t know if you wanted to bring any of these, or just store them?”
“I’ll bring a few of these, like these are really good towels. But the rest, we can donate to the shelter down the street.” She smiles.
She said we. Why am I suddenly so excited that she included me in that sentence? I nodded and then got to work on bagging up what she didn’t separate.
“Listen, we don’t have to finish this tonight. I have another two weeks Max. We can do this slowly.”
“Nah, you sit and relax, pizza should be here any minute. I hope you don’t mind but I called over a few of my friends to help too. Lukas with the truck and Dane with Sterling. I was told you met Sterling at the BBQ, so not complete strangers going through your stuff.” I smiled.
She looks shocked then shakes her head. “You said there would be pizza?” She smiles forking more pineapples into her mouth.
“I hope you like Hawaiian.” I joke.
She snorts, and immediately tries to hide her snort as the gate buzzer goes off at the same time my phone vibrates.
“Dane and them are here. So is the pizza.” I push the buzzer button and then open the front door. The pizza delivery guy was being followed by our moving assistants. I handed the kid a few twenties, and grabbed the pizzas.
Dane approached first and I handed him the pizzas and sodas. He went inside the apartment and next was Sterling.
“Hey. Congrats mister.” She whispers as she hugs me.
I fist bump with Lukas and then we all crowd into Tatum’s place.
Sterling is talking to Tatum quietly and then they quickly hug, while us guys are in the kitchen. I choose the piece of pizza with the most pineapples and bring it to Tatum. Sterling is staring at my gesture in shock and then I smile.
“Get your own pizza Sterling.” I grin.
Everyone makes small talk as we eat the pizza. Sterling makes Tatum stay seated for the remainder of the time we’re in her apartment. Here and there we ask for her take on things, after all this is her apartment.
I instructed Lukas to pull his truck out back and while the girls are talking, ignoring our huffing and puffing, we start loading up his truck bed with her furniture.
“Hey Tate. Your bed, there’s a bed in the room already. But I…” I begin and note that she’s blushing.
“Can we move my bed in and the spare bed into the shed?” She asks, almost nervously.
“Of course.” I smile and head back into the bedroom.
Dane and I pull the bed out and immediately, I hear the girls scrambling up and getting in our way.
“Wait, we’re moving that over today?” Tatum asks with her hands on her hips.
“Well, yeah. We can actually get all the furniture moved out with most of the boxes. Dane brought his truck too.” I say. “Is that okay?”
“What’s the rush?” She asks.
“No real rush, but no reason to put this off either.” I answer simply shrugging.
