Kapitel 7: Apartment 15. Olivia Holton. Buckets Aplenty

"The water pipe repairs have been happening each month regularly without fail since I've moved into the apartment, it seems like," I tell Tamara as she follows me into the kitchen.

I look back to find her eyebrows have risen noticeably, but she doesn't interrupt.

I continue. "So, there are these plastic buckets that are left under each apartment unit's sinks—one under the kitchen sink and one under the bathroom sink. I know because I've had to ask the Jenkins' upstairs when I first moved in and turns out they have the same exact buckets under their sinks, too. Oh, and I've also had to explain this routine to Mrs Gillian from apartment twelve. Although, I think she's moved to a different building now because I haven't seen her in a while."

I bend to pick up the bucket under our kitchen sink and set it under the kitchen tap.

"So whenever Mr Taylor—who is our building tenant, by the way—tells us that the water will be shut off for the night—" I turn the tap on to begin filling the bucket, "—it is best to just fill the buckets up first and ask questions later. Oh, and there's no use in complaining to him. Believe me—" I look at Tamara and roll my eyes, "—I've tried."

I move to the bathroom sink. Tamara follows. "It takes a while to fill these things up to the brim so I like to do it simultaneously."

"Wait, what did Mr Taylor say when you asked him about these repairs?" she asks as she watches me fill the bathroom bucket.

I turn to her to give her a curious look. "Have you met Mr Taylor?"

"I can't say that I have."

"Neither have I. And I've lived in this apartment for years."

Tamara looks thoughtful again. "But you've complained to him before?"

"Not in person. Whenever you have something that needs fixing, you text him or slip a note under his door. He lives on the ground floor," I inform her. "But don't get offended if he doesn't get to you days after, he's quite the busy man I think."

We move to the kitchen bucket and wait for it to fill up. Tamara glances at Drew with his flailed limbs over the couch, but she doesn't comment. Something tells me I am going to like Tamara. Her fearless eyes are rather good at appraising her surroundings, but it seems her nature does not like to interfere with others' personal business.

"Does the water shut off for a long time? It seems so much water you're storing for just one night," she then inquires just as the waterline reaches the brim.

I turn the kitchen faucet off and revisit the bathroom, Tamara trailing not far behind. "Honestly, there's been times when we don't use the water at all, and I end up dumping the whole thing into the tub to bathe in." I chuckle then shut the bathroom sink faucet off when the bucket is full.

"Seems like such a hassle to do this every month," she says.

I shrug. "It is, but it's also better to be prepared."

"I guess you're right," Tamara agrees.

I have been so preoccupied with my task at hand and distracted by my conversation with Tamara, that I don't notice that Drew is awake and walking to the front door.

"Liv! I'm going out, lock the door!" he shouts as he grabs his coat from its peg by the door.

When he has shut the door behind him, Tamara turns to me and says, "Thank you so much for your help. I don't know what I would have done without you." Then she asks, "Do you always do this by yourself?"

"All the time." I sigh, wiping my hands on my jeans.

"And your brother, does he help at all?" asks Tamara.

I snort. "Uh, no. I don't even think he knows what's going on with anything in this apartment." I don't know why but I cannot seem to meet Tamara's piercing gaze as I explain, "My brother gets very preoccupied with his work, and he gets very tired sometimes. So I don't like to disturb him if I can help it."

Tamara seems to be observing me. But her eyes are still the kind eyes from before, nothing is changed. "And you two—it's just the two of you here?"

Seems that I have been mistaken regarding her prying nature. It's funny but I find myself not minding it at all. I quite like the way she asks me, it reminds me of my mother when she knew I was having a bad day. "My brother and I lost both our parents a few years back. I've just been living with him ever since."

Tamara merely nods a reply, and she doesn't press on with her inquest.

"Would you like something to drink, Tamara?" I then ask after a momentary silence.

Tamara shakes her head in refusal but smiles kindly at me. Internally, I heave a sigh of relieve. The only thing we have in the apartment is water, I don't know what I would have served her had she said yes.

"You said you just moved in with your husband?" I question her in turn. It is only polite, is it not?

"Yes, we moved in just today. We were living in Westington but my husband got a job in a law firm downtown. We figured, why not. We've only just gotten married, so why not a new start in every aspect, right?"

I nod. "Seems exciting. To be married. What's he like, your husband?"

"It is. And I really do love my husband. His name is Caleb. I was still studying at university when he proposed—I know it is quite young to be married at twenty-two but I guess I just couldn't wait to marry him." She laughs. "We waited until Caleb graduated, of course, so we could get a place of our own. After we married, he got a job here at Dartham."

"And you are okay with moving here?"

"It feels right, you know? It certainly was not easy at first. I had to transfer universities and everything, but I figured I'd be just as happy anywhere in the world as long I'm with him."

I can see a twinkle of excitement in her eyes as she speaks about her husband and the life she is living, and I cannot help but feel envy towards her. Tamara is someone who I have always wished to be—to have a life just like hers would feel like a dream to me. She found someone she loves at such a young age, someone who is able to reciprocate it. I can only wish to find a Caleb of my own someday.

As if by a summoning, a knock at the door interrupts our chat. I unbolt the lock and swing open the door to find a prince charming standing on the other side. His dark hair is combed neatly on top of his head, with stray wisps falling over his forehead. He is very attractive, the features on his face seem so symmetrical that it should belong on a billboard or a beauty magazine. Broad shoulders and a tall frame outline him.

His friendly smile, much like that of his wife, greets me. "Hello. I'm your new neighbour, Caleb, from next door."

"Hello," I say.

"I was just wondering if you've seen my wife, Tamara, anywhere. She told me she was coming here to introduce herself and then she never came back. It's been almost half an hour and I'm a bit concerned."

Just then, Tamara approaches the entryway to stand behind me. She giggles when she sees her husband in the doorway. "Caleb, it hasn't been half an hour."

I witness Caleb's smile brighten noticeably when he hears his wife's voice from inside the apartment. "Tamara. You said you won't be gone for long," he says. His words are stern but his tone is nothing but loving.

This really is a love match between them.

"Caleb, this is Olivia Holton. She lives here with her brother Andrew," says Tamara, gesturing to me.

"You just missed him, I'm afraid," I say.

Recognition colours Caleb's expression before he says, "Oh. I think I saw him walking down the hall but I didn't quite catch his face. A very tall man, no?"

I smile. "Yes, that's him."

A momentary pause.

Then Caleb waves for Tamara to join him, to which she obliges. As she passes me to walk outside, she presses a hand to my shoulder and pulls me imperceptibly closer.

"Well, it was really nice to meet you, Olivia," she declares. "I hope you and your brother would join us for dinner someday. If you're free."

"Of course. I'd love that. I'm sure Andrew would love that as well."

"Nice to meet you, Olivia," says Caleb. "Good night, now."

"G'night."

I lean against the doorframe as I watch their retreating forms. Only as they have disappeared inside their apartment does my smile finally mitigate into my all too familiar frown.