“Hurry up!” he urged her. “We’ll say good-bye another time.”
They exchanged a look, and Mia rushed toward the front door. Paul waited to check that she’d got in, staring at the windows of the building, then smiled as the lights on the top floor came on briefly and went out again. He was about to drive away when he saw a woman walking up the street and entering the building. He honked his horn three times before setting off again.
Daisy came into the apartment, completely exhausted. The living room was dark. She turned on the lights and collapsed onto the sofa. Her gaze wandered to the coffee table, where she spotted a book. She picked it up and examined the author’s photo again.
After getting up, she knocked gently at Mia’s door and opened it a crack.
Mia pretended to wake up.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. I should be fine again tomorrow.”
“I’m so glad to hear that!”
“I hope it wasn’t too tough at the restaurant tonight.”
“It was pretty crowded, believe it or not, despite the rain.”
“Did it rain a lot?”
“Incessantly. What about here? Did it rain inside the apartment too?”
“Um, no . . . What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Daisy closed the door without another word.
Paul parked his car and went up to his apartment. He sat at his desk and was just about to start a new chapter, in which his mute opera singer ventures out onto the rooftop of the Opera, when the screen of his phone lit up.
My great-grandchildren would like
to join me in thanking you for giving
their future great-grandmother such
an unforgettable evening.
Did you make it back in time???
Two minutes later, and I’d have been
a goner!
I honked my horn to warn you.
I heard it.
Your roommate didn’t suspect anything?
I think she may have seen my raincoat
sticking out of the duvet!
You sleep in a raincoat?
Didn’t have time to take it off.
