Goldie didn’t like the look of things up here. Not that she knew what it was supposed to look like, but she had envisioned vintage furniture or dusty Victrolas. Not shredded insulation andraccoon droppings. She put her hand over her nose. She also started to rethink her impulse to buy this place.
“Don’t move. It’s probably not safe. I can’t see where I want you to walk.”
“Not safe?”
“Hang on. I’m calling my guy.”
Goldie didn’t want to get too close to the raccoon trap. And the raccoon seemed okay with that as well. She did as Joe said, and he finished his call.
Goldie stepped around the chewed-up insulation. She started to feel sort of ill.
“Ah, I’m going to get out of here.”
“Watch where you step.”
“I need to get out of here.” She was sick to her stomach.
The smell and the heat were maybe too much. She did not want to faint or vomit in front of Joe. She ignored his advice to step carefully in an effort to stave off the scene she was sure was about to go down.
“This attic floor has some weak spots. You don’t want to?—”
She felt a wave of nausea and lunged for the attic door. She ran down the steps as fast as possible. That was it. She was going to hurl. Nothing was more important than getting to a bathroom at that moment.
She ran to the first one on the third-floor hall and ralphed, as J.J. called it back in the day, into the sink. Lucky, it was mostly liquid. Coffee was the only thing in her stomach so far today.
She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face. She took a few breaths. She was feeling better already.
She heard heavy footsteps behind her.
“Give me a minute.”
“Are you okay?”
“A minute.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She looked at herself in the pocked mirror. Offhandedly,Goldie wondered about each bathroom. Did they all need new mirrors?
She was pale, had a little chill as her body adjusted to leaving the attic heat, and she felt a little burning sensation on her legs.
Whatever, she was fine. She leaned down and drank a little water from the tap. She swished it around her mouth. Joe knocked on the door again.
“I’m coming in if you don’t come out.”
“It’s fine. I’m fine.” Goldie turned off the water and walked out to find Joe, looking more concerned than the situation required.
“If something is wrong, you don’t run away from help.”
“Ah, you’re bossing me now?”
“You could have fallen down those steps or through the insulation. I said stay still.”
“I got sick to my stomach, not a biggie. It’s not exactly fresh up there, and you know, it’s hot.”
“Still.” Joe appeared to be looking her up and down.
Goldie reached down and rubbed her ankles. They felt irritated.
