It didn't take long to throw a few things in a duffel bag and make her way to Karl's. It wasn't so much that Alyssa wasn't high maintenance - she did love her matching accessories and dressing so that she felt comfortable and confident, but she was also used to throwing things together and packing at a moment's notice. The hardest part was remembering the exact directions to where he lived.
She'd never spent any significant amount of time her partner's place before, in fact she'd only been by it once. But she didn't hesitate to invite herself over. If she was safe with anyone, she was safe with Karl.
And he had a working air conditioner. Alyssa lifted her hair off of her neck and pushed the button, waiting for him to respond. "Karl? It's me."
After he buzzed her through, stepped into the blissfully air conditioned building. She took the elevator up to his floor and knocked on the door, her back thrown over her shoulder and a small bakery box in her hand.