Celeste
Once Alan's footsteps had faded fully down the hallway and the four of us had let out a collective breath none of us seemed to have realized we were holding, Justine took my hand and led me properly into the apartment for the first time.
"Take it slow," she said gently. "There's no rush. We've got the whole afternoon."
The space felt strange under my feet mine, technically, and yet entirely unfamiliar, like walking through a stranger's home wearing my own body as a disguise. A small living room, tasteful and tidy in a way that suggested someone who cared about her space even when she was busy. A soft gray throw folded over the back of the couch. A row of paperbacks on a shelf, spines cracked from actual reading rather than decoration.
"Did I read a lot?" I asked, running my fin
