“I only have thirty-eight,” I said.
Senyora Bellet was in the hallway again. She pulled a change purse from her pocket and opened it, handing me a two-euro coin.
“Thank you,” I said. “Thank you both so much.” I wanted to be by myself now, but the locksmith asked if he could have a glass of water, and Senyora Bellet went to her fridge to get my vegetables. They both seemed to be moving in slow motion. I wondered if the locksmith was casing the apartment. Finally, he said goodbye.
I closed the front door and stood for a long moment looking down Peter’s hallway. Even though he was away, there were still things here that could hurt me. A picture of us that I’d hung by the coat rack was gone. All that was left were the little holes where the nails had been – a constellation gone dark.
I
