Chapter 4: The Packers

At one thirty that afternoon I was sitting in my living room with my shoes on, and Preston stopped in the hallway when he saw me.

He had come down in a fresh shirt to collect Daphne. "I thought you were working all day," he said.

"It let me."

Daphne came down behind him, clutching a folder of medical papers.

She gave me a hurt look, then bent her head and pulled at the strap of her bag.

Preston took the bag from her and turned to me.

"Whatever was wrong at dinner, drop it for today," he said. "She has enough on her mind."

"When will you be back?"

"When the doctor is done with us. We'll talk tonight, I promise."

I said nothing.

At the door, Daphne turned back.

"Cor, could you hang up my coat? It's on the guest bed. I'll want it later."

"I'll see to it," I said.

She looked relieved, and she followed him out.

I watched from the window as he walked her down the steps with a hand under her elbow.

He opened the passenger door and held his palm above her head while she got in.

She showed him something on her phone, and he leaned in close to look, nodding.

They did not seem to know how they looked from the street.

When the car had turned the corner, I texted the moving company.

You can come in now.

Two workers arrived in a white van with flat boxes, rolls of tape and big black bags.

I walked them through the guest room and the bedroom and pointed at what had to go.

"Don't sort anything," I said. "Don't fold. Pack it all and leave it outside the front door."

The younger worker looked at the camel coat on the guest bed, then at me.

"Her too?"