After a Year of Silence novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Boxes by the Door

That night Quentin stood in my doorway with an empty duffel bag and a look of careful innocence.

"Gwen said you wanted my boxes out of your closet," he said.

"Gwen said that?"

"She said they were taking up room."

I had never said that to anyone.

I stepped aside anyway, because it was raining and he was soaked.

He walked into the apartment we had once shared, and stopped just inside.

Nothing had moved.

His mug sat on the shelf by the stove.

His coat hook was empty but still screwed to the wall.

My throw blanket lay over the arm of the couch where he used to fall asleep with a file on his chest.

"You kept it all," he said.

"I did not have time to redecorate."

"Harper."

"There are three boxes in the closet," I said. "Take them and go."

He did not go.

He took off his wet jacket and hung it on the empty hook, and then he stood with his back to me and his hand flat on the wall.

Neither of us had said a word about the elevator.

I could still feel his mouth on mine.

"The camera in the elevator," I said. "Somebody could see that footage."

"Gwen asked security to wipe it this afternoon."

"Of course she did."

"She's been good about this."

"She has," I said.

"Why did three months turn into twelve?" I asked.

He turned from the wall.

"Every time I booked a flight home, I thought of what you'd said. Then go."

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