The room was dark, as Cedric preferred it. Enough sunlight seeped in to illuminate the room, but the light was always dampened by the sheer curtains that stayed forever drawn. Details couldn�t be made out, but it was easy enough to identify most of the furniture or whatever else might impede your path. The walls, if it was ever bright enough to see them, were covered in a formerly white paint that began chipping in dangerous lead flakes years ago.

Cedric sat on the window seat, the faded, plush bench that was the only decent piece of furniture in the apartment. His head was resting against the wall of the nook, brown orbs transfixed to a water spot on the ceiling. A couch and a coffee table floated in the middle of the room, almost clinging to each other in the void. Beyond these sat a card table and three deliberately placed folding chairs. A thin coating of dust had settled on each but a pizza box to one side of the table interrupted the flow there. An unused kitchen wrapped around them. There was a door, thickly planked wood with a row of locks lining one side. Chain locks dangled unused, deadbolts remained unsheathed. It was almost as if he was waiting for someone and if that was so, then he had been waiting for awhile.

A quivering sigh ripped through Cedric�s lips, echoing off the empty walls. His hand dropped down on the side of the window seat and tugged the imitation wrought iron drawer handle. There were two items in the drawer that appeared, one of them being a Polaroid shot, and he picked that up with all the delicacy allotted a rare flower. He stared at the image on the thick paper forlornly.

It was of a girl grinning shyly. She was a pretty, chubby faced preteen with straight brown hair draped over one shoulder. According to the second article of the drawer, an obituary clipping, she was Cedric�s daughter Emily, dead barely a year.

Cedric sighed again and wiped the tear that managed its way down his cheek. Replacing the picture, he closed the drawer and returned to spot staring.

The sun had sunk lower and lower until it almost disappeared when the front door opened. Light from the hall barged into the settling darkness of Cedric�s apartment. A woman entered, slamming the door behind her and turning to lock it.

�This could be really dangerous,� she pointed out. She flicked on the light switch.

�It would be less dangerous if you didn�t waltz in like that announcing it�s not locked,� he countered. �Whatever happened to knocking?�

�Don�t know, must be the same thing that happened to answering.� Cedric felt her pointed glare without turning away from his spot. �You didn�t touch the pizza, did you?�

�I told you I wouldn�t.�

�When was the last time you ate a good meal?�

�Pizza�s a good meal? Mom would kill you for that.�

�Mom would kill you for moping around like this.�

�Who�s moping?�

�The hermit staring at the ceiling,� she pointed out dryly. �Come on, Ced, everyone�s worried about you.�

�You say that every time you come.�

�Because it�s true...Laura�s really worried, too.�

�Laura, worried?� A bitter bark of a mirthless laugh came from him. �Wow, this is a change from blaming our daughter�s death on me. If she�s so damned worried, she knows where to find me.�

�People make mistakes and say things when they�re grieving.�

Sarcasm and bitterness dripped from his voice. �And you�re some expert.�

�Get off your martyred saint complex already,� she near-screamed in exasperation. �You weren�t exactly nice and tactful to anyone, but we forgave you.�

�I never asked for forgiveness.�

�Well too bad because it was given.� Her voice softened now and she pleaded. �You don�t have to talk to Laura, you don�t have to forgive her, you can move to New Zealand for all I care but you need to get out and live...Is this what Emily would want?� The last comment was a risky one, she knew, one she had avoided using for the last year; she regretted saying it the moment she did for the unknown reaction it could bring.

Cedric only sighed heavily. �No, probably not.� Relief flooded her at the concession, but she hid the reaction. �It just doesn�t feel right yet.�

�Come out to dinner with me sometime. Or just coffee, even.� Tauntingly, she added, �I�ve got a new boyfriend you can put the fear of God in. You always loved that.�

He chuckled and smiled earnestly, a rare gesture of late. �Little sister�s got a new boyfriend? Guess I forgot the world�s still going on.�

She grinned. �You�ll love him, he isn�t a Bohemian.�

�He�s winning points already.�

�Come out with us sometime,� she urged again.

�Yeah, I guess I have to. At least long enough to screen this guy.�

�Yeah, I think he�s a winner. Speaking of, I�ve got to go, I�m meeting him. Will you be okay?�

�When have I ever not been?� He could tell she rolled her eyes without having to see her.

�So I�m telling him you�re coming out with us. How about day after next?�

�I�ll have to check my calendar,� he said with sarcasm, �but I think I can pencil you in. Being family and all.�

�Whatever, I�ll see you then.� She turned around and, before she shut the door, added �And lock the door for once.� Cedric rolled his eyes and sighed, more content this time, but still he stared at his water spot until the moon had risen.

Nearly an hour later, just when he was beginning to contemplate going to bed, there was a faint knock at the door. Curiosity drew him to answer�the only visitor he ever got was his sister, and she gave up knocking months ago. Frowning, he rose and stretched stiff joints walking across the room.

Standing in the hall, he saw when he opened the door, were two nervous boys half way across the expanse. One, a little blond boy, pushed his dreadlock-clad companion forward with a Saran wrapped plate in his hands. He looked back to glare before turning to Cedric.

�Um, hi. Merry Christmas er Hanukah er Kwanzaa er...whatever. I�m Jared from 3 C. M-my mom wanted me to give this to you.� He thrust the small plate forward and Cedric accepted it. �And invite you for dinner on Christmas er New Year�s er whenever if you didn�t have anyone else for the holidays...Yeah, we gotta go. Bye.� Jared ran down the hall, the blond boy following shortly.

At his door, Cedric watched the boys run away bemused. Inspecting the plate he saw an assortment of cookies and other sweets. He smiled. �How nice of her.� He walked back into the apartment and closed the door behind him, unwrapping the clear covering and breaking off a piece of a sugar cookie. �Emily would want you to move on,� he tried to convince himself but after moments of staring at it, the piece and plate joined the pizza on the table, he turned off the light his sister had left on and trudged off to bed.

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