Chapter 4

Susanna was in the kitchen preparing the pasta when the doorbell rang, startling her.

"Who is it?" she called out.

The sound woke Howie, who flipped over in bed in annoyance. "Is it the takeout? That was fast."

"I'll check."

Susanna turned off the stove and walked to the entryway, still dressed in only a spaghetti-strapped nightgown with her hair down. She looked through the peephole—and her face instantly went pale.

Over a dozen people stood on the doorstep, seemingly in a pretty good mood.

"What's going on? Why are they here!" Susanna exclaimed in alarm.

She was so frightened that her knees buckled, her face as white as a sheet.

Hearing her exclaim, Howie came out in a bathrobe, rubbing his eyes as he asked, "What's the matter, Susie? Who's here?"

"Quick! Hide!" Susanna whispered urgently, pushing him back toward the bedroom. "My mom, in-laws, and friends are all here, along with a bunch of other people!"

"What did you say?" That completely woke Howie up. "W-What should I do? Where can I hide?"

"Go to the bedroom! Lock the door and don't make a sound!"

Susanna shoved Howie into the master bedroom. She didn't even have time to tidy up the lingering traces of their dalliance in the living room.

The doorbell rang again, pressed repeatedly this time.

"Susanna? Open up! Why aren't you opening the door?" That was Caroline's voice.

"Is she still sleeping in?" Mom's voice rang out as well.

Susanna's legs went weak. She pressed her hand against the front door while hissing toward the bedroom, "Hurry up! Get dressed and hide!"

A flurry of panicked activity could be heard in the bedroom.

Just as Susanna, drenched in sweat, was unsure whether to open the door, I stepped out of the elevator.

"Mom? Dad? Why are all of you standing at the door? Where's Susanna? Why isn't she opening the door?"

Upon seeing me, everyone cleared a path for me.

"I have no idea," Mom complained. "She's taking her own sweet time."

I reached out and unlocked the door with my fingerprint. The lock released with a click.

The door was only opened halfway when Susanna rushed over and pressed back against it.

"H-Honey? Why are you back so soon?" Despite her best attempts to stay calm, her voice trembled.

"I came back early to surprise you!" I said cheerfully as I pushed hard against the door.

"No! I mean… The apartment is too messy! It's like a pigsty in here!" Susanna stammered. "Give me ten minutes… no, five! I'll clean it up!"

"Why bother? We're all family anyway. It's not like we'll judge you just because the house isn't in order," Mom, who was pretty impatient, couldn't wait around any longer.

She even came over to help me push the door open.

One of Susanna's friends also chimed in teasingly, "That's right, Susanna. Don't tell me you're in a hurry to hide the good stuff so that we can't find it, hm?"

One woman alone couldn't withstand the force of so many people. The door opened with a quick swing.

Susanna fell to the floor, the straps of her nightgown slipping off her shoulders.

Everyone else poured into the apartment and saw the sorry state of the living room. Howie's boxer shorts were tossed on the couch. Half-eaten snacks and wine glasses sat on the coffee table. There were tissues scattered across the floor.

Even the smell in the air was musty and reeked of debauchery.

"Goodness me! Did someone break into the apartment?" Caroline gasped as she stared at the mess in shock.

Susanna scrambled to her feet, looking rather pale as she fumbled for an explanation. "N-No one broke in. I was drinking alone at home last night… I drank too much… and didn't… didn't have time to clean up."

"You were drinking alone, you say?" I sneered before walking over to the couch and picking up the pair of men's boxer shorts.

Howie had worn them yesterday.

I dangled the boxer shorts, which were clearly not in my size, in front of Susanna and watched as she broke out in a cold sweat.

"I didn't know you were in the habit of playing around with something like this while you drink, babe."