Andy stared out the window as droplets of water from the light rain snaked down the glass.  This time of year it was a welcome relief, the rain that is.  Having an ocean on one side, and mountains butted together behind it, Nihility had the geographical ailment of resting in a valley.  Pollution levels, more often than not, were high.  But the rain, that glorious wet cleanser, had been scrubbing the city for two days.  He watched his reflection as his hand slid up the window frame and stopped just below shoulder height.  The soft, tick-tick-tick was of mild comfort.  He glanced over, observing his own thumb pick at the layers of paint on the wooden frame.  A nervous habit ever since he could remember.  Sister Renata would yell at me for this.  But, she isn’t here to yell … or comfort.  He sighed, looking out at the rain-soaked street.  Defined lines blurred into muddled blobs as his focus changed to the reflection in the glass. 
           He wasn’t old, but he felt old.  Lines had begun to form near the corners of his steel-grey eyes.  His dark, Italian hair had lost it luster, or maybe it just seemed that way in the reflection.  A crooked nose from too many breaks and a scattering of scars, not that most people noticed, but he did.  The most obvious feature had become the dark marks under his eyes.  Even after all these years, all that he’d been through, the nightmares still haunted him, still kept him awake into the wee hours of the morning.  If only I could remember what the hell happened that night?  Flashing lights and the blare of a siren snatched his attention–a fast approaching patrol car.  Its cry echoed off the buildings as it shot past their third story apartment.  With his forehead pressed to the glass, he watched until it vanished down the street.  Tomorrow.
           “Are you coming back to bed, or are you going to stand there and wait for the next one to wake up the whole damn neighborhood?”
           His lips twitched into a frown as he turned away from the window.  Even though the lights were off, the room wasn’t completely dark, thanks to the soft orange glow from the street lamps.  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and find the figure hidden under the cover’s lumps.  “It’s not like they’re waking people up on purpose, they have to run the siren.”
           “Whatever.”  The lumps shifted position.  “Will you please shut the shade and get back in bed?”
           Andy let his shoulders drop.  She was in a mood, no sense arguing with her.  He turned back to the window and pulled the drape closed.  It was bad enough that his graduation ceremony from the police academy was tomorrow, but the added stress of Sandi’s behavior, of late, was almost too much.  The word ‘bitchy’, in reference to her, was like putting sugar frosting on a cardboard cake.  She’d been down right nasty over the last few weeks.  It confused and frustrated him.  There was simply no logical reason for her drastic attitude change and he was beginning to suspect she might be cheating on him.
           “Well?”
           He jerked, startled out of his musings.  “Huh?”
           “You coming back to bed, or you going to stand there like an idiot?”
           And just when I started to think of something nice to say.  “No, I think I’m going to go to the kitchen and get some coffee.”  He strode across the room and opened the bedroom door.  “I really don’t understand what your problem is lately.”
           “My problem is you.”
           He paused, mulling this over.  A light flickered deep within his testosterone soaked brain.  “Do I need to get you some of those, um, pills for, well–you know, your female stuff?”
           “What!”  The bed covers fell away as she shot up.
           Andy mentally kicked himself.  Why did I say that?  “Nothing, never mind.  Just go back to sleep, I’ll be back in–in a few.”
           The bed spread flew off in what might have been a majestic wave of colors, but not under these circumstances.
           “Don’t you never mind me!  Hey, get back here!”
           Despite the meager carpet that covered the floor, the coldness of it still nipped at Andy’s feet.  He padded to the kitchen as quietly as possible, but the old wood subfloor still creaked and moaned with his weight.  Damn, hope the old-bat downstairs doesn’t wake up.  He flipped the kitchen light switch and winced against the harsh glow.  The cockroaches scattered.  Stomping footsteps announced Sandi was in hot pursuit.  He moved across the linoleum, wishing for the thousandth time that he had slippers to put on is feet.  By God he would have them–someday.
           “Don’t walk away from me.”  Sandi joined him, her slippered feet making soft scraping noises as she crossed the floor.
           Andy shook his head.  He took the metal percolator from the stove top and moved over to the kitchen sink.  His gaze slid to her feet and he eyed the fluffy, pink luxury.  I really want some slippers.  Turning his attention back to the pot, he rinsed it, refilled it with water and then added some grounds to the basket at the top.  He returned to the stove, twisting the knob for the back burner, and placed the pot on it.  “I was just trying to help.”
           “Maybe that isn’t the issue, genius.”  Her words held a rattle snake’s venom.
           “Well then what the hell is the problem?”
           “You quit your damn job, that’s my problem.”  She leaned against the opposite counter and crossed her arms under her breasts.
           “I got hired by the police department!”
           “Yes, and they’ve been paying you pennies while you’ve been training.  We can’t pay the rent because you decided to run off chasing rainbows!”
           Andy peered at the ceiling while he tried to contain his growing anger.  Does the woman understand nothing?  He ran his hands over his face and then dropped them to his sides.  His gaze slid across the ceiling, down the wall and stopped at her angry features; golden-brown skin, plump lips-currently pulled into a thin line of anger, dark brown–almost black hair and eyes the color of onyx.  “I graduate tomorrow.”  He glanced at the clock.  “Actually, later today.  Okay?  I’ll be making my full wage then and we’ll be able to pay the rent.  I’ll be making more money than I was at the diner.  We can save up, have a wedding and, in a couple of years, we’ll have enough money to ditch this shitty apartment and get a house somewhere.”
           Her expression didn’t change.  She opened her mouth, but banging from the floor interrupted.
           “Keep it down!”  Came the muffled voice of Old-batty.  “I’ll call the police!”
           Andy pinched the bridge of his nose.  “Sorry!”
           Sandi huffed and stomped her foot.  “No, no we’re not sorry.”  She glared at the floor.  “Mind your own business you old nag!”
           Oh dear God!  Andy tried to wave her off.
           “What!  What did you say, you hussy?”  Old-batty retorted.  “I’m calling the police!”
           Andy’s stomach twisted into a knot.  “Great, just fucking great.  This is just what I needed!” 
           Sandi smirked.  “What?  Afraid you might get into trouble?”
           He scowled.  “Why are you being such a bitch lately?”
           “Because everything is always about you.”
           “What?”  Andy shook his head, to stunned to comprehend what she might be talking about.  “How can you say that?”
           Sandi’s eyes narrowed to slits.  He wished she wouldn’t do that, for one her face got all scrunched up and for two, it made those beautiful black pools, which he loved to get lost in, impossible to see. 
           “First of all, this apartment.”  She flung her arm in an arc.
           Ah shit, here we go.
           “Why are we here when my friend offered us a room at her house–you know, a place that isn’t cockroach central?”
           He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.  “Two reasons: one, we needed our own place, and two, I didn’t want to live with two dopers.”
           Sandi sputtered.  “You–you….”
           Andy cocked his head, uncertain how she could even see him with her face twisted like that.
           “Fine, we didn’t have to move in with them.  Though, it would have saved us a shit-load of money.”
           He barked a laugh.  “No it wouldn’t have, you’d be right back on the dope and throwing every penny we had towards your addiction.”
           “I–”
           “Don’t even try lying to me about that.”
           She sucked in a breath.  “And, how about that piece of junk out in the parking lot?”
           “The car?”  He threw up his arms.
           “If you can call it that,” she sneered.
           “That thing is a classic, I got it at a great price and it runs like a bat-out-of-hell!”
           “I heard that!” The floor responded again.
           “Not you!” Andy shouted back.
           “Oh–well, I still called the police!”
           Anger blazed through his veins.  “We heard you the first time!”
           Sandi crossed her arms and stuck her hip out.  A look of pure triumph flowed into her expression.  “You know what I could tell them when they get here, right?”
           Andy felt the blood drain from his face.  “What?  You going to lie?  Say I beat you up?  Yeah, that’s real smart then you won’t have any fucking income, except for the measly wage you make at the diner.”  He immediately regretted saying it.
           Her cheeks flushed with rage.  “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”  She spun on her heel and stomped out of the kitchen.
           He followed her out and watched the bedroom door slam shut.  His mind churned.  What if she did tell them I hit her?  A loud hiss came from the kitchen.  He darted back in and grabbed the pot.  “Oww!” 
           Andy shook his hand and snatched the hot pad from the counter top, then removed the pot from the burner and nearly dropped it because of the loud knock on the front door.  Damn!  Setting it on the counter, he flung the hot pad next to it and jogged to the door.
           “Keep it down!”  The Old-bat croaked from below.
           His lips curled into a snarl.  Damn that old woman!  Couldn’t her family put her in a home or something?  Somewhere that she wouldn’t be such a nuisance to her neighbors?  He slid to a stop in front of the door and took a deep breath.  Letting it out slowly, he closed his eyes and attempted to settle his nerves.  Just stay calm.  Forcing a smile onto his face, he unlocked the door and opened it.