The Resistance: Chapter 5
Chapter 5: The Home of Little Saint Just
Apartment 2C was on the third and final level of apartment building 327. It sat to the right of the stairs and like every other apartment it had a plain white door with gold metal markings that identified the apartment as 2C. Once one were to enter they would see a relatively tidy residence. The apartment was two bedroom, two bathroom and it was perfect because it was shared by two people. When one entered the house they most likely noticed the large kitchen that was sectioned off by a bar counter area.
The Kitchen counter was a white marble as well as the bar area thing. That bar area was just the casual dining area. It had four dark wooden bar stools that stood out in stark contrast to the white tile the kitchen, the bamboo floors, and white carpet in the living room. The kitchen was state of the art it had a double oven an electric stove, a nice dishwasher, a huge refrigerator and freezer. On the bar area counter papers and textbooks had been haphazardly stacked and a half drunk coke can sat in the middle the sink was full of dishes that Mat had been ignoring. Other than that it was a very clean kitchen with only the Keurig coffee maker and the rack of coffee cups on the counter. The bar counter was not the formal eating area; next to the kitchen there was a simple wooden rectangular table with four wooden chairs with red cushions on the seat. There was a lazy susan in the center and there was always two placemats at the heads of the table. That was the formal dining area where the siblings ate when they weren't in the loft. Across from both the kitchen and dining table was the living room.
The living room was the only area in the whole house with carpet. There was no fireplace but there was a wall and mounted upon it was a large flat screen television. Facing the tv was a glass coffee table, a leather three seating couch, a light red wing back chair with a matching cushioned square piece of furniture to rest one's feet on. This was Mathilde chair. On the coffee table there sat a copy of War and Peace and an empty coffee mug sat on a coaster with images of various broadway playbills on them. Also on the couch were two nicely embroidered pillows and some blankets folded across it. On the left of the couch was a leather recliner that was a few shades lighter than couch. More blankets were folded across that chair. This was the chair that belonged to Jared though he seldom sat in it. He like to lay on the couch. In between Mat’s chair and the couch was a five tier cat scratching post. It was empty but was usually covered by at least one of the three cats.
Once you passed the kitchen and the living room you found yourself to two doors that faced each other. The door on the left is where we will start. This room belonged to Jared.
When pulling back the door you immediately notice the darkness of the room. The room was almost always in some form of darkness due to blackout curtains he kept closed most times so that he could sleep in when he did not have work. His room was fairly clean. It had an old roll over desk that was crammed in the corner. The roll over desk covered most the clutter but atop the desk were three pictures. There was one of his parents. One of Mathilde at age seven standing in a flower field beaming. The final one was of Jared and Mathilde on Mathilde’s first day of college. The bed was large and pressed against the back wall so it was parallel to the door. The bed had a simple wooden tan colored head board head board and a very simple box spring frame. The bed was sloppily made. The plaid comforter simply throw over the bed and the pillows but the lumps in the bed showed that the top sheet was crumpled beneath, there was some objects under the comforter as well a book perhaps or a notebook. He had about five pillows that were not all on the bed many of them were but there was almost always at least one on the ground.
Then there were two sliding doors that opened up to his closet and in it half was his clothes and the other half was a bookshelf. It was well stocked and wonderful. It took up an entire half of the closet and was tall it almost did not fit. Mat loved her brother’s little library. It was her favorite place especially because on whole shelf was stuffed with fat binders filled with printed manuscripts. Jared loved to write and he always wanted to be a writer. His sister shared his ambition and she loved his stories. Many of those stories were shared works. Next to the closet was another white door this one lead to his bathroom. Inside there were the simple components of a bathroom. There was a vanity. The sink with enough counter space for the simple things. The mirror pulled back to reveal neat shelves with Advil, cough medicine, and other simple medications to use in a pinch. Beside the vanity was a trash can, and next to the trash can there was the toilet. If you continued this way you would see a litter box. It was the covered kind with the gray plastic igloo hood. This was used almost exclusively by Jared’s cat. On the opposing side was the rough panelled sliding glass door that led into a shower.
The remaining space of Jared’s main bedroom was covered by a cat scratching post. It was fairly large post with about three tiers. It was made of tan and dark brown carpet. Sleeping inside the circle that sat at the top of the highest tier was a little silver tabby kitten with a bow for a collar.
She had large green eyes but they were shut as the little kitten napped. Her name was Juliet and she was Jared’s cat. The sweet little thing always slept in his room no matter what. It was rare to find such loyalty in a cat but Jared had been around her since she was born. She was one of Basest and Raoul’s litter. Also, he did spoil the thing rotten.
Across the hall was the room that belonged to Mathilde. Upon entering you could tell that it was much brighter. Mathilde had traded blackout curtains for her own red curtains with lace polka dot coverings. The curtains were seldom drawn. Under that main window was a low bookshelf made of dark wood. There was books in it many, books, and like Jared there were binders filled with manuscripts. Laying across the top of her book shelf was a fairly young orange tabby cat.
This cat’s name was Robespierre. It had been the first cat Amber had saved after her mother had put her foot down. The cat had received its name because the cat liked to decapitate birds. He was still fairly young and was nice enough. Robespierre was the classic cat. He was not mean but he only let you give him affection when he wanted it. Around his neck was a small blue collar with a silver bell and a little tricolor rosette. The cat cared about nothing but getting fed and napping. Robespierre was the shared cat but he like this sunspot the best in the apartment is Robespierre often lounged in Mathilde’s room.
Next to the bookshelf, was a small table desk that was covered in papers and books. Like Jared’s desk, it was covered in pictures. She also had one of her parents. One of her older brother. One of herself and Sophia Scott. One of herself and her brother. One with herself and Amber and a final one of her with The DCs. Well, she had three separate frames for each small group she had taken a picture with.
The end of Mathilde’s bed faced the door. The bed was a vintage queen metal frame with an intricate headboard. It was covered by a white comforter and was always neatly made. There were also five pillows on her bed. She had one body pillow, and four regular pillows two the matched the comforter and two that matched the sheets. Resting, nestled between the pillows, was a little black ball of fur. It was a kitten. The third and final cat that belonged to the Boivin siblings.
This kitten was a sibling of Juliet, Jared’s kitten. This kitten belonged to Mathilde. His name was Saint Just. The cat had been the runt and was all black with a white patch on his chest like his sister he had green eyes but they were closed in wait of his owner, his friend to return. Saint Just adored Mat and would never sleep away from her side. Saint Just’s collar looked like Robespierre’s except it was red instead of blue.
On either side on the bed there were little white night tables with a lamp on the one closest to the window. On the one that was closer to the bathroom door there was an essential oil diffuser. The machine was not on but when it was it usually filled the room with the smell of lavender. There were things all over those night stands, books, glasses cases, a water bottle and some assorted pens. It was a bit of a mess. They were like the desk the place where she could dump her loose papers.
The closet was opened by sliding doors in this room as well. It bordered the door into the room and when you opened the closet you were greeted by all of Mathilde’s clothes. Well there were lots on hangers and the shoes were on a rack but there were drawers under many of the clothes that were hanging up.
All in all the house of Boivin was neat ish and very warm and homelike. This was the apartment Jared and Mathilde returned to after leaving the loft.
“Okay, so I can cook dinner,” Jared insisted.
“Alright,” Mat nodded and went to her room. She threw the door open and Saint Just lifted his head and let out a meow. Robespierre did the same but did not meow he simply lifted his little orange head to Mat’s presence.
“Hello babies,” She smiled at the cats. Saint Just had stood up and was making his way to the end of the bed. Mathilde smiled with glee at the adorable little thing and scooped him up.
“Hello Monsieur Saint Just,” Mathilde giggled stroking the sweet little kitten. He meowed in response. “It is dinner time you two.” She chided and carried out Saint Just while Robespierre jumped down from his sunspot to eat his dinner. Mathilde walked into Jared’s room and watched Juliet lift her little head. Mathilde grabbed Juliet aswell and then marched into the kitchen. Robespierre seemed a bit jealous of the two new kittens. That pretentious tabby used to get all the attention and his choice of where to sit. Now he had to compete with two little fluff balls that were barely litter box trained. Robespierre did not mind Saint Just because Saint Just was not to invasive of him but Juilet liked to try and take everything for herself. That was another reason Robespierre now tended to sleep in Mathilde’s room he wanted to be away from that cat Juliet.
“Aw the crazy cat lady brings in her little loves,” Jared teased going for Juliet who was still in Mat’s arms.
“Yes, hungry little loves.” Mat smirked setting Saint Just down to grab the cat food. She dished out the correct portions for each cat and put it into their personalized bowls. Saint Just mewed and pawed at her legs not for food but for attention. “Eat your food,” Mathilde laughed turning the kitten toward the food bowl.
“That cat has serious separation anxiety.” Jared snorted flipping the grilled cheese over in the pan.
“Leave him alone.” She snapped back in return.
“My God you sound like Saint Louis with your snapping.” Jared laughed and Mat rolled her eyes. “What did you two fight about this meeting?” Jared laughed.
“Oh come on we don’t fight all that much,” Mathilde snickered sitting down at the table.
“Yeah, I know but what was it this time?” Jared scoffed.
“If you had been awake maybe.” She started.
“Location of the next protest, he wanted it near the library, I said in Lafayette park.” Mathilde said flatly.
“That is a little too close to the White House don’t you think?” Jared said as he handed her a plate with a grilled cheese and ketchup.
“You sound like Gabe,” She laughed
“No, his location idea is more idiotic than your’s by far. People go to the library because they have homework or stuff to do. Also the noise will not make you guys any friends.” Jared shrugged sitting across from Mathilde. He opened up a beer causing Mathilde to wince. She quickly rushed to the fridge and took the beer bottles out and started to pour them down the sink.
“Hey!” Jared screamed. She looked at him sternly.
“I just flushed a six pack this morning stop wasting your money on beer. This week I have flushed two boxes, a bag and three bottles of wine, one whole bottle of brandy, and 36 bottles of beers.” She said in annoyance through her gritted teeth.
“Mat, I am sorry,” He said softly.
“Yeah, I know you are sorry.” She grunted dusting of her hands after emptying the fifth and final remaining bottle.
“Jared please, I am tired of hearing your apologizes. You never do anything about it. You told me you were going to start getting help. I can’t do this on my own.” Mat sighed “You are a good person Jared, an amazing big brother but you are ruining yourself. I know you can do it! I know you can get clean! Please at least try, I am here to help, I promise.” Mat started softly in earnest. She loved her brother but this was the side of him she wished she did not have to deal with but she took him as he was.
Mathilde cared too much to let this behavior just go on. She worked her tail off to try and get him help but he unintentionally undid all of her efforts. It was a terrible thing. Still she never stopped trying.
“I am trying Mat...I am, I swear.” He sighed. Her stormy eyes glistening as if they were about to cry which they were as she looked at him.
“Okay,” She murmured and the rest of the meal was consumed in silence before Saint Just, Robespierre, and Mathilde left the dining room. Jared sat there alone for awhile before he and Juliet retreated into his own room.
Mat knelt on the floor and knocked on the wood paneling four times. There was a brief silence before the four knocks were returned. This was a code between the two residents of this room and the room below. These four knocks meant goodnight to those two residents.
The resident beneath was Amber and they often knocked to each other when Amber needed help. Now, Mat knocked to tell Amber that she was going ‘off line’. This was to notify each other that the other would not be able to respond. So they knocked good night and then Mat went to take a shower like she always did before bed. When in the shower she sang a bit and started to think about Gabe and Jared’s critiques. It was true this protest was too small to be that close to the White House and she realised it now. So a compromise was in order. She went to her bed where Saint Just was waiting and pulled out her laptop. Then after scouring for about two hours she picked up the phone to call Gabe. She heard nothing but ringing then his voice through a voicemail recorder prerequisite.
“Hello you have reached Gabriel Saint Louis only leave a message if it is urgent.” The flat recorded tone did nothing to make Gabriel sound more human. The only time he sounded remotely human was when he gave fiery speeches or sometimes he would start in a casual conversation. Mathilde loved when that happened.
She loved when Gabe became relaxed, when he started to talk to her about things other than reform.
Technically, she was just as guilty as Gabe when it came to becoming a political activist robot. Gabe tended to almost always act like that but when she needed Mat could become Gabe 2.0.
“Hey Gabe, it’s Mat, I mean Mathilde Brennan-Boivin , look I was wrong about Lafayette park, I still don't think your idea is effective but I have compiled some locations.” She heard the final tone and let out a deep sigh. Her eyes flicked to the time on her laptop. 11:30. Her homework was done and most importantly she needed sleep. She clicked off her laptop and set it on the ground before, closing her eyes and falling asleep.
