Chapter 16: The Knock

"Dad," I said, "where is the form now?"

"On the kitchen table, love. Her driver's coming for it at eight tomorrow."

"Leave it there. Don't sign another thing. I'm coming."

"It's nine o'clock at night."

"I know."

I hung up and stood with the phone against my chest.

Jace was wiping the bar again, carefully not looking at me.

"Go," he said.

I had one number I wanted to call, and I was almost afraid of it.

It rang once.

"I'm outside your door," Elliot said.

I stopped with my coat half on.

"What?"

"Bea's door. I came at six. You were out, so I sat on the stairs. I didn't want to ring and make you come home to me."

"You've been sitting on those stairs for three hours."

"Yes."

"Don't move," I said.

I walked the four blocks fast, with my scarf coming loose.

He was on the landing where he had slept on the floor that first night.

He was on his feet, with his coat buttoned wrong.

I took out Bea's key and found I could not put it in the lock.

"Knock," I said.

He looked at me.

"You said you'd never stand between me and a door again.

"So knock, and I'll answer."

Elliot lifted his hand.

He knocked twice, and then once more.

It was my knock, the one I had used on his door for three years.

I opened it.

I opened it exactly the width of my shoulder, and I looked at his face in the gap.

He saw what I was doing.

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