Chapter 117

By the time I came back from self-tasked chores, cooking meals, and taking the trash outside, Shirley had left for the night, and Lud had disappeared. There was a fifty dollar tip beside his plate.

I sighed and put the money in the tip jar before continuing my regular routine. What I would say to Lud when I returned home later that morning, if he was even around or back to his usual self, I had no idea.

* * * *

When I unlocked the door at eleven o’clock, drop-dead tired, the smell of Clorox halted me in my tracks, as did the sight of my roommate vacuuming the carpet in the living room, still wearing the clothes from the night before.

Not believing my eyes, I walked toward Lud and stood in the way of the Hoover. He jumped a little, then turned off the vacuum cleaner, scowling.

“Took you long enough to get home,” was the first thing out of his mouth.

Wow. “Excuse me?”