I bought a secondhand desk from a woman on Willow Lane.
Eli said he didn't need one. I said the dining table was available, but so was the corner of the guest room. He said he'd think about it. By the time I got the desk home, he had cleared a space under the window.
Matt carried the desk upstairs while Eli held the door. They didn't speak much. Once it was in place, Eli set his schoolbooks on top and arranged them by size.
"Do you want a lamp?" I asked.
"I have the one from the old house."
"Is it here?"
He looked toward his backpack. "No."
"We can go get it with Nora's permission."
"It's okay."
"You're allowed to miss your things."
He shrugged, then took out the calendar. "I have this."
The pages were worn soft at the corners. He'd recorded each scheduled visit with his parents
