The knocking woke Doug out of his REM sleep. Without glancing at the clock, he knew it was 3:37 a.m., and his visitor was Tracy.
He threw back the covers and pulled on a pair of sleep shorts. Shuffling barefoot across his sitting room, he raked his fingers through his hair, and stifling a yawn, he opened his apartment door. Tracy stood in the hallway, haloed by light. He squinted against the glare. Her red curls brushed her bare shoulder where her oversized t-shirt hung low, and her bangs stood straight up as if plastered back by a strong wind.
“I have to come in and sit down,” she mumbled and then walked inside.
Doug left the door open and tried once again to see through the small hole in her shirt. It revealed the spot just above her hip where a tattoo lay hidden underneath. He knew it was purple and had an eye, but could only guess if it was a dolphin, a bird, or a potato.
Tracy sat on his couch and stared at his dark TV. He lay on the opposite end and poked her hip with his toe.
“How was your day?”
“I need some ice cream.”
Without glancing his way, she stood and made her way to the kitchen. She reached into the freezer and extracted a pint without checking the label. She returned to the sofa and popped off the lid. “Spoon.”
Doug opened his coffee table drawer, and the loose spoons and remotes clattered. Picking up a spoon, he used the scoop end to tap her bare shoulder. While she took a bite, he closed the drawer with his foot.
“Mmm. Moose tracks, my favorite.”
Doug chuckled and checked the label which read Strawberry Cheesecake. Better than the frozen chicken soup from his sister that she tried to eat last week.
After a second bite, she stood.
“How was your day?” he asked again.
“A dog chasing a cat chasing a bird ran in front of my car.” Tracy walked out the door, and he heard her enter her apartment down the hall.
Releasing a long yawn, he headed back to bed.
The next morning, as he locked his door, Tracy exited her apartment and glowered at him, flipping her curls over her shoulder. Doug waved, his keys jangling in the air.
“Good morning!”
Ignoring his greeting, she headed down the stairs.
He leaned back against his door. “Sounds like you witnessed a real Tom and Jerry moment yesterday.”
He heard her stop, and then she stomped back upstairs. When she reached their floor, her glare was dark. “I told you not to let me in anymore.”
He attempted to look repentant. “I’d hate to turn you away and have you knock on the door of someone who is less of a gentleman.”
“A gentleman would wake me up.”
“To be fair, the first few times I thought you were awake.”
“But I wasn’t!”
“That’s not my fault.”
“It’s not my fault either. I can’t control it, you know.” Her eyes grew wide, and their color reminded him of tropical waters. He would love to take her on a date to the beach. Maybe, if she wore a bikini, he could solve the tattoo mystery.
“Do you wear bikinis?”
“Do I… what?”
Doug shook the thought from his head and gave her his most charming smile. Before he could speak, her eyes narrowed, and she pointed a finger in his face.
“Don’t use that manipulative smile on me. Save it for one of your blonds.”
Doug laughed. It was true that seven blonds rotated visiting, but not for the reason she imagined. “You’ve got me wrong. Why don’t you come over tonight? We can have some ice cream.”
“I don’t eat ice cream.”
“I beg to differ.”
She gasped and looked on the verge of tears. “I sleep eat too!” Staggering towards the stairs, she sat on the top step with her head between her hands.
Wincing, Doug sat beside her. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. I do appreciate that you don’t take advantage of the situation.” She turned to him with wet eyes. “I put four locks on my door. How am I getting out?”
“I suppose, if you know how to open them awake, you know how to open them asleep.”
Tracy sighed so long that Doug thought she would descend through the steps to the floor below in her humiliation.
“Maybe you need to try something different.”
She looked up, wiping the tears off her cheeks.
“Since you can’t sleep without a dose of Doug,” He waggled his eyebrows, and she snorted. “Come by after work. We can order a pizza.”
“I don’t eat pizza.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Ok, I don’t eat pizza awake.”
Doug snickered and was pleased to see Tracy’s lip twitch. “Mexican?”
She rose. “I do like a good taco.”
“Great. We’ll have some tacos; watch a movie.” He stood and started down the stairs.
She sidestepped in front of him. “I doubt we like the same movies.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder, and he ducked.
“Only one way to find out.”
She eyed him sideways. “I like comedies.”
“Comedies are great. See we agree already.”
“Not raunchy ones. Sweet ones.”
“I get it. How about While You Were Sleeping?”
Tracy tripped down the last stair. “You’ve seen While You Were Sleeping?”
“Well, with seven older sisters…”
She stopped. “Seven older sisters?”
“All blonds.”
Tracy emitted a cute groan.
He interrupted before she could sink again into embarrassment. “So, tell me about Tom and Jerry.”
She smiled, lighting up her tropical-sea eyes. “It wasn’t a Tom and Jerry. It was a Silvester and Tweety.”
“Ah yes, a dog chasing a cat chasing a bird.”
“In front of my car!”
“Are you sure this wasn’t a dream?”
“I can’t sleep and drive.”
Doug raised his eyebrows. “You can when you play MarioKart.”