There's something in the Air, you can't Deny

After Marie’s session, I looked at the clock and realized it was only 3:00 p.m. My next appointment had been canceled, and for once, the universe gave me a free afternoon. I decided to head home early, which in hindsight, was my first mistake.

The second mistake was assuming my home was a safe zone.

When I pulled into the driveway, there was Aunt Jasmine standing outside with my neighbour, Ms. Tessmacher. I don’t know how they even became friends in the first place. The two of them were chatting with the smug energy of people plotting a coup.

Now, Ms. Tessmacher isn’t old-old. Not like Aunt Jasmine, who is so ancient she remembers when bread came sliced by hand. Tessmacher is in her early fifties, the kind of age where you still look good but also start buying “memory support” vitamins just in case.

I tried to quietly sneak inside, but Aunt Jasmine spotted me like that one Leonardo DiCaprio meme pointing at the TV.

“There he is!” she announced, arms spread like I was a returning veteran from war. “Maximillian, sweetheart, come meet us.”

I considered faking a phone call. Maybe even a stroke. But Jasmine was already waving me over, and Ms. Tessmacher was smiling warmly in that maternal-neighbor way that makes refusing feel like kicking a puppy.

“This is perfect,” Jasmine said, tugging me closer. “Max is done with his talks today, so he has nothing to do. He can help with moving, no need to call those overpriced movers.”

“Moving?” I repeated, already sensing the trap.

“Yes, moving,” Jasmine said, narrowing her eyes like she dared me to argue. “Strong young man like you, with all that… therapist muscle.”

I looked down at my arms. Therapist muscle? The heaviest thing I’d lifted all week was my coffee mug.

Ms. Tessmacher chuckled. “Oh, it won’t be much. Just a few boxes from the house. I’m leaving the apartment to my niece and moving up country to tend the farms. She should be back here any minute.”

“Her niece,” Jasmine said again, with the same tone people use when announcing royalty. “I’m telling you, Maximillian, she’s a lovely girl. Lovely. Age-appropriate and smart too. The two of you could make a lovely couple. Don’t you think so, Tessie?”

Ah. There it is. The real reason.

“I agree, with you there Jasmine,” Ms Tessmacher replied staring at me. “I for sure know my niece isn’t seeing anyone at the moment.”

I sighed, defeated. “Fine. I’ll help.”

What’s the worst that could happen, right?

I didn’t have to wait long to find out.

I went into my apartment and changed my clothes. I looked around the house for Daphne but of course she wasn’t there. Lucky.

I got to Ms. Tessmacher’s apartment and it was loaded with about sixty boxes. A few boxes my ass.

After unloading about 10 of them to her truck, a little blue hatchback pulled into the driveway, and the moment the door opened, my stomach dropped straight into my shoes.

Nicole stepped out.

In scrubs again, hair in a messy bun this time, either she was coming from a shift or heading to one.

“Auntie did you call the movers yet?” she asked pushing her sunglasses up on her head and blinked in the sunlight before spotting me.

Her expression froze, then shifted into something halfway between amusement and Oh, this is going to be fun.

“Max?” she said smiling.

I swallowed. “Nicole.”

Behind us, Jasmine and Tessmacher were suddenly quiet. You could practically hear the matchmaking alarm bells ringing in their heads.

Nicole crossed her arms, leaning on the car door. “So… you’re the mysterious neighbor who’s supposed to help me move boxes.”

I cleared my throat. “Apparently.”

She tilted her head, smirking. “Small world.”

“Or just a very persistent universe,” I muttered.

Jasmine elbowed me not-so-subtly. “Don’t just stand there, Max. Be a gentleman. Help the lady. We’ll be in the house until you’re done.”

So I did. For the next twenty minutes, I did double duty. I moved boxes to Ms Tessmacher’s truck and then halued box after box out of Nicole’s car to the apartment while she supervised, pretending to look busy by checking her phone every five seconds.

Was this her way of paying me back for the number thing?

“Careful with that one,” she warned. “It has my books.”

I grunted, shifting the weight. “What kind of books?”

“The kind with words,” she shot back sweetly.

I set the box down and wiped my forehead. “Wow. Riveting.”

The boxes were stacked, the car emptied, and my shirt was clinging to me like a toddler who refused to be dropped off at daycare.

In other words, I looked like hell.

Finally, after the last box, I turned to leave. Nicole leaned against the doorway, arms folded. “Thanks, Max. I didn’t realize moving came with free entertainment.”

“Happy to help,” I said, trying to sound casual, though my heart was drumming like a bad marching band.

“Thanks again, Max. Really. You didn’t have to.”

“Happy to help,” I said, brushing damp hair off my forehead. I was ninety percent sure I smelled like a wet dog at this point, but at least I’d lifted something heavier than my coffee mug for once.

Before I could make my escape, Aunt Jasmine and Ms. Tessmacher materialized like the twin gods of matchmaking.

“Well, look at that,” Jasmine declared. “Max and Nicole, reunited. Isn’t that sweet, Tessie?”

Ms. Tessmacher nodded, beaming. “Adorable.”

Nicole raised an eyebrow at me.

I groaned. “Ignore them.”

But Nicole’s smirk said she wasn’t ignoring anything.

And just like that, my quiet, client-free afternoon had turned into the kind of rom-com setup I spend my life avoiding.

I need to take a long nap.

[Nicole's first appearance was in Chapter 2, last appearance in Chapter 15]

[Ms Tessmacher's first appearance was in chapter 3]