Chapter 576

You folded your hands, one on top of the other, and looked across the kitchen table at Mosche and Iris.

Mosche had been his usual, awkward but amiable self about walking in on him in a sexual encounter again. Iris had been the opposite, freaked out, and as soon as you’d turned your back on them she’d scampered to Mosche’s bedroom and only then had he followed. You’d headed to your room as well, quickly getting changed out of your work clothes, and then called them into the kitchen.

“What’s up, John?” Mosche asked you.

You sighed. He looked so ... innocent. You weren’t sure you’d ever be able to figure out if he was really this naive, with the emotional memory of a goldfish, or if there was something else going on. It wasn’t going to be your problem for much longer though.

“Iris,” you said, turning to her. “I’m sorry if you feel ... exposed, by what just happened, but I currently live here and I have a right to come home at the end of the day.”

She clenched her jaw, and you were pretty sure she hadn’t stopped blushing as she was a solid pink colour from her hairline to her collar. When she’d come out she’d been bundled up in a sweatshirt, sweatpants and thick socks, like she was trying to counteract your having seen her in the buff.

“Oh, these things happen sometimes. It’s just roommate problems,” Mosche chuckled.

“No, it’s not, Mosche,” you said. “It’s not just roommate problems. I think I’ve walked in on you in a compromising position, what, five times this summer? That’s more than once a month. And we’ve talked about it multiple times, and it keeps happening. Was this happening with what’s-his-face I’m subleasing from?”

“Tommy? I mean, kinda,” Mosche said. “But you’re kinda a prude compared to him. He didn’t really care, he’d just come watch porn with me.”

“What?” Iris asked.

“Just a guy thing,” Mosche said like he was reassuring her.

“Yeah ... no,” you said, shaking your head and trying desperately not to form a visual picture. “Anyway, whatever you and Tommy have as normal, you should probably figure that out with Iris because I don’t think she is OK with that.”

“Definitely not,” Iris said. “Mosche told me you were going to be at Sabrina’s probably all weekend so it would be fine that we ... yeah. I’m so sorry, John.”

“Its- Well, I accept your apology,” you said, deciding not to push it anymore but that you didn’t want to minimise it either. It would be just like Mosche to only walk away with the conversation hearing ‘It’s OK’ and not all the other parts. “The other reason I called you guys out here is because I have news - Mosche, I know I have up to the end of the month on my sublease, but since Gemma is back in Australia, I’m going to move in with Sabrina for the last week we’re here before we head back to school.”

“What? No,” Mosche said, giving a pout like he was a four-year-old kid. “You should stay. I need my bro-migo.”