Minutes later, the doorbell rang. Sarah froze for a moment, hesitating.
Should she let a stranger into her apartment, especially in the middle of the night? If her husband found out, it could spark a huge fight, she thought. But then a wiser idea struck her. She could say it was an emergency plumber. Finally, she opened the door to find a tall, sturdy young man with a friendly smile.
“Where’s the trouble?” he asked. “Saw your message and couldn’t just ignore it. I had a pipe burst recently too. What a hassle,” he said with a chuckle, holding a toolbox.
Sarah recognized him instantly—he was the guy she often saw in the parking lot and hallway. It turned out to be Michael, her new neighbor, and as it became clear, a true handyman. Within 20 minutes, the soaked sheets were replaced with two sturdy clamps, securely stopping the leak.
“I just moved to Chicago,” Michael shared, packing up his tools. “Don’t know many people here yet. Guess this is how we meet.”
“So, if anything comes up, we’ll help each other out like neighbors should,” Michael smiled warmly, and Sarah nodded eagerly. “I’m so grateful for your help. But I’ll probably still need to call a plumber,” she said, still unsure if the problem was fully resolved.
“That’s a job for tomorrow,” Michael laughed, gathering the last of his tools. “Let the utility folks get their beauty sleep. There’s this one lady here, a real piece of work.”
“If a single drop reaches her place, brace for war. She’ll make your life miserable.” “You mean Jessica?” Sarah guessed.
“Exactly. She’s my next-door neighbor,” Michael replied with a smirk, finishing up. “A pretty lady like you must have a husband, right?” he asked playfully.
“Of course,” Sarah confirmed calmly, lifting her chin slightly, proud of the fact. “Well, good. Let everyone know you’re a respectable woman, not flirting with just anyone,” Michael winked playfully, spreading his hands.
“Seriously, though, I’ve got an idea. I have an extra ticket to a stand-up show by a famous comedian tomorrow. Got two from work, but no one to go with. I barely know anyone here.”
The offer was tempting. With James away, a dull, lonely evening loomed ahead. Sarah quickly considered that it could be a nice distraction, but she knew such an outing wasn’t entirely appropriate for a married woman.
“No, thank you so much, but I can’t,” she replied, trying to hide a hint of regret, shaking her head slightly. Deep down, she really wanted to go, especially since it would help her unwind. But the thought of neighbors spotting her and spreading gossip that could reach James held her back.
Sarah didn’t want a moment of fun to spark rumors that could strain her marriage. The next morning, she rushed to the bathroom to check the pipe. To her immense relief, everything was in perfect order.
The two new clamps Michael had installed held the old pipe firmly, with no signs of a leak. She even ran her fingers along the repair, genuinely thrilled the ordeal was over. But then her eyes caught a pair of pliers Michael had accidentally left on the floor.
“I should return these. He went out of his way to help!” she muttered, slipping on a jacket. The forgotten pliers almost made her laugh, a reminder of the recent chaos. Sarah decided it was only right to thank Michael again and return his tool.
After all, he’d been respectful and kind, helping without hesitation when she needed it most. Minutes later, she stood in his building’s hallway, facing four identical metal doors. A slight confusion hit her, as each door looked the same.
But Michael had mentioned his apartment was next to Jessica’s. Assuming the leftmost door was his, Sarah took a deep breath, gathered her thoughts, and pressed the doorbell. A few moments passed with no answer.
The hallway’s silence felt heavy, and she wondered if she’d gotten the address wrong. Reaching for her phone to check with Michael, the door suddenly swung open, startling her. There stood Jessica, in a short, rather bold robe, glaring at her.