I packed my books first.
I didn't pack much else. The house was furnished, and most of the things I'd bought over the last two years were small enough to fit into boxes: kitchen towels, a chipped blue bowl, three framed photographs, the winter coat Daniel had given me the first Christmas we were together.
I left the coat in the closet.
By noon, there were six boxes in the hallway. I had nowhere to take them yet. Leah's spare room was full of her daughter's art supplies, and I didn't want to impose. My lease was valid for another eight months, but I couldn't make myself sleep in a house whose ownership I'd only discovered after its owner's wife came to my door.
Margaret called while I was folding a stack of sweaters.
"I can offer you another rental," she said. "Not one owned by the tru
