Love comes knocking

My first meeting with Will

Christine and I just stood on the doorstep of my apartment. Or Carl's apartment. The apartment where my clothes were lying all over the floor. I just went numb, but Christine had a much better grip on the situation.

First, Christine called Luke, who advised us to call the police. We called the police, who advised us not to enter the apartment before they came. While we waited for them, we wondered if there were anyone in the apartment - and what to do if someone came.

"I can't hear a sound," Christine whispered and leaned further into the hall. "If someone was there, we would have heard it, right? Or perhaps they are standing still, wondering what to do about us? Gosh, what if there's someone in there?" She nervously kept her whispering monologue going while I tried to snap out of shock and actually respond to her. I felt as if someone had wrapped a warm cloak around me. I heard everything, but in slow motion, and I could not muster the energy to answer.

The police finally arrived, spoke to us, and took noted. They went into the apartment, took some pictures *I think?), and came back to update us. The apartment was empty (phew!) but clothes seemed to be thrown on the floors. (Duh! That's why we called in the first place!)

We discussed how to handle the situation, and decided to go in, save some of my clothes and take it back to Christine's. "I don't think you should live here right now," she said with a worried look in her eyes. I agreed and we collected a couple of suitcases from the storage room and packed some clothes.

Most of my favorite outfits were decorating the bedroom floor and I picked them up while wondering why Carl would have caused such a mess.  The necklace my mom had left me was on the nightstand and I absentmindedly put it on. I peeked into the bathroom and saw that nothing had been thrown on the floor there. I grabbed my toiletries and looked around one last time. It was strange to think that this might be one of my last times in this apartment and I just wanted to get out.

Christine helped me carry suitcases out of the apartment. "Maybe we should call a taxi and go straight home?" I couldn't agree more as I was not interested in hanging around anymore.

The taxi was called, it arrived, and soon enough we were back at Christine's. She sensed my need to be alone for a while, or maybe she just needed to catch up on her emails and writing. In any case, she retreated to her office and I finally got some alone time to think about what had happened. I sat down on the bed in the guestroom to try and process it all.

Carl's behavior this morning had been erratic and inexplicable, at best, and what had happened in the apartment? I wondered if there was any point in asking him for an explanation and decided to try to call. I took my phone out of my pocket, checked for messages, and even scrolled through i********:. I knew that I was just postponing the inevitable, sighed and dialed Carl. It went straight to voice mail. I was surprised and my thin voice leaving a message, asking him to please call me back.

I admit I was slightly relieved that he did not pick up, but did not get the chance to explore my thoughts. I heard Christine let out a small cry and her feet thumping on the floor as she came running towards and into the bedroom. She was visibly agitated, wringing her hands and unable to stand still. Indeed, she was jumping up and down shouting "Oh my god! He's coming NOW!"

If nothing else, her agitation shook me out of the velvety cloak that my mind had been wrapped in for so long. I stood up, tried to keep my voice calm and soothing as I asked "What's happening?"

"He's...there's...it's happening now!" Christine was getting more wired up by the second and I could see her pulse throbbing along her neck. I took her hands, trying to calm her down. "What's happening?"

"WG is arriving already NEXT WEEK! I'm not ready!" She looked like was about to have a panic attack, her eyes widening and her breath fast.

"Of course you're ready! Remember I'm your assistant," I said in an attempt to calm her down.

The jumping, at least, stopped. Instead, she seemed to go into a new phase of panic, pacing around the room ans talking loudly.

"I got an email from the production company. Some other project is moving along faster than anticipated, so they want to come here next week already. I was supposed to prepare so much before they came and now I don't even know where to begin to get ready in time. I have to suggest storylines, I have to organize a plan for writing, and I still have lots of other things to do."

"Listen, Christine, I am already staying in your apartment. Why don't you find out how to best focus on the writing and creative process and let me take care of any mundane tasks that need doing?"

"Thanks, Sally, that's just what I need! Oh, and I need to organize a contract for you with the production company!" She seemed determined to get to work as she exited the room, running back into her office.

The whole scene made me laugh. Christine had always been nervous before big events, but she always came out on top. I was sure she would this time, as well!

I hardly saw Christine for the rest of the week. She organized a contract and a handsome salary for me to assist her and WG. I attended a conference call with his people, where I was told that I would basically be making coffee and lunch for a couple of weeks. Apparently, WG had a personal assistant who would be coming, too, so I wondered why they even needed my help. I shrugged it off and figured I should be happy for the gig. 

Christine was frantically working on her preparations for WG and Luke was busy with a case. So I spent most of the week alone, giving me time to think through everything that had happened. I was not able to get hold of Carl, but figured he was working. To be honest, I was glad I did not have to speak to him as I was still shaken by his performance in The Corner Coffee.

Before I knew it, the day arrived: Will Grimes was about to enter my life FOR REAL! I was standing in Christine's kitchen, reading a list of suggested lunch dishes for the week, and wondered if I knew how to make even half of this. No wonder that they only needed me to make lunch, if the lunches were this complicated. I wondered if the list was just suggestions, or if I could expect to have to serve lobster soup or vegan chili every day. 

I smiled to myself. I was looking forward to meeting WG and I loved cooking. Indeed, I was quite good at t. So surely this would go well? It would at least occupy my mind and divert it from other thoughts.

The doorbell rang. Christine had gone out for a minute, so I was alone. Could it be someone from the production company checking up on us? I went to open the door and realized my huge mistake as I looked into Carl's face. He looked angry; his face red, his eyes steaming. "Who told you to fetch stuff from the apartment?" He was shouting at me and I instinctively backed into the apartment.

Carl followed me and pushed me further into the apartment, leaving the front door open. My mind panicked and I tried to look for escape routes, but carl pushed me into the kitchen. I kept backing and found myself at the edge of the kitchen counter, back to the wall, and facing an angry puma.

"Who told you to go into that apartment?" He was shouting at me again and I tried to wake my brain and find an answer.

"Umm...Those were my clothes. I just needed something to wear," I mumbled, confusion and fright coming through in my voice.

"You worthless piece of s**t! You have no right to fetch clothes from MY apartment. I paid for those clothes and you better give them back. I have no interest in supplying losers with stuff to wear. The minute you decided to move out of my apartment, you lost your right to any of the clothes in MY wardrobe."

"But Carl, I bought that stuff myself with my own money and..."

"YOU DID NO SUCH THING! You are so worthless, I should just end you right now!"

I had never in my life been so afraid. My body had stopped working, my knees were weak and my mind racing. That's when life threw in a new surprise.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Both Carl and I turned our heads to look in the direction of the firm and calm voice. He was standing in the kitchen entrance, his arms crossed, looking down at both of us from his 6 feet 5 inches of gorgeousness. He frowned, but he looked concerned rather than angry. Yep, Will Grimes had arrived!