Chapter 24: One Bed

The house in Fishtown was narrow and brick, with a green front door that stuck.

The agent shoved it open with her shoulder and apologized.

"It swells in the damp," she said. "The owners always meant to plane it."

"I'll do it," Elliot said.

I looked at him.

"I will. I've learned to take a door off, so I can put one on. Give me a weekend."

The agent wandered ahead into the kitchen, pretending not to listen.

We went up the stairs together.

There were two bedrooms at the top, a small one at the back and a big one at the front, with a window onto the street.

Elliot stopped in the doorway of the small one.

"I could take this," he said. "As a study. I'd work in here, you'd have the big room, and..."

"Elliot."

"Yes?"

"No."

He stopped.

"There's one bedroom," I said. "It's the big one. It has one bed in it, and I'd like to put it in the middle of the floor."

"Ah."

"And I want the door off its hinges. Not forever. For the first week."

His grey eyes went bright.

"Then I'll take the door off."

"I knew you'd have a screwdriver."

"I keep one in the car now."

We bought it that month.

Both our names went on the deed, and I paid for my half out of my own savings and the thin envelope from the aunt.

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