the show must go on

 As soon as Melvin saw Caitlin at the counter he was in a happy dance. He could hardly keep still.

"What are you doing here?" He smiled all over. He didn't think she'd show up at the pizzeria.

"Oh, I dunno, a surprise, I guess." Her smile was unsure, but he wouldn't stop the momentum.

"Let's..lets get out of here." He needed to think.

"How..how about we go to your place," she pulled on a black mask but was shivering from the pouring rain.

"Seriously, you want to.." Melvin almost cringe. He lived in filth. It was freaky for even him, but he never had time to stay home and clean.

She nodded as if she had something important to do. He hoped that meant taking off her clothes, but he doubted it. Especially, if she saw his place.

"Okay!" He shouted like a cheerleader with the roar of the cooling fans behind him and the yellow lights of the place was sucking all the energy out of him. "But first, let's get a drink."

"The bars are closed," she told him with all the COVID rules in place.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget that." He thought he had a bottle of wine at home. So off they went out the back way up to the landing. He lived right over the pizzeria in a decrepit building.

Perhaps he was blinded by tears of happiness as he got the tight door open. He really wished he could keep the place in the dark, but it was pitch black except for the fish tank.

"Oh, that's so pretty," Caitlin said and went straight to the tank to watch the little orange fish move about. Thankfully, they were all alive. He'd fed them when he got up.

Maybe he could keep the lights off, but he almost tripped and finally managed the kitchen light. It kept flickering in its fluorescence. 

He went for the red wine and the red cups while she watched the fishies.

"How come you didn't tell me?" Caitlin took the red cup he brought her.

"About what?" He scratched the side of his wild head of chestnut hair wondering if they'd stand here all night.

"The fish?" She looked at him as if she finally knew who he was. "You never said you had fish."

"Oh, yeah..sorry." He shrugged trying to move forward to the couch in the dark. Finally, she followed.

They sat down on the lumpy sofa that smelled of ganja and Cheetos. She sipped her wine for the longest time. So did he. It was so sour it made his face flench, but she drank up as if she would have enjoyed even kerosene.

Melvin made a face of distaste, but her hands found him anyway. She reached up and kissed him on the lips ever so sweetly. He couldn't help but respond. 

What had come over her? There was no time to think. Just do it before it was too late.