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did that。 “You go with your parents。 I’ll call。”
I wondered if it was a good or bad thing that my father was now best
friends with my （designer） doorman； the man who would inevitably
know every detail of my life。 The lobby looked nice； if a little
retro。 It was done in a light…colored stone of some sort； and there
were a few unfortable…looking benches in front of the elevators
and behind the mailroom。 Our apartment was number 8C； and it faced
southwest； which； from what I’d heard； was a good thing。 John opened
the door with his master key and stood back like a proud papa。
“Here she is；” he announced grandly。
I walked in first； expecting to be hit with an overpowering smell of
sulfur or perhaps see a few bats winging their way around our
ceiling； but it was surprisingly clean and bright。 The kitchen was
on the right； a narrow； one…person…wide strip with white tile floors
and reasonably white Formica cabinets。 The countertops were some
sort of flecked granite imitation； and there was a microwave built
in above the stove。
“This is great；” my mom said； pulling open the refrigerator。 “It’s
already got ice trays。” The movers pushed past us； grunting while
they lugged my bed。
The kitchen opened to the living room； which had already been
divided in two by a temporary wall to create a second bedroom。 Of
course； that meant that all the windows had been cut out of the
living room entirely； but that was OK。 The bedroom was a decent
size—definitely bigger than the one I’d just left—and the sliding
glass door leading to the balcony made up one whole wall。 The
bathroom was between the living room and the real bedroom and was
done in Pepto pink tiling and pink paint。 Oh well。 Could be kitschy。
I walked into the real bedroom； which was significantly bigger than
the living room one and looked around。 A tiny closet； a ceiling fan；
and a small； dirty window that looked directly into an apartment in
the building next door。 Lily had wanted this one and I’d happily
agreed。 She preferred having the extra space since she spent so much
time in her bedroom studying； but I’d rather have the light and the
balcony entrance。
“Thanks； Lil；” I whispered to myself； knowing that Lily couldn’t
possibly hear me。
“What’d you say； honey？” my mom asked； ing up behind me。
“Oh； nothing。 Just that Lily did really； really well。 I had no idea
what to expect； but this is great； don’t you think？”
She looked like she was trying to find the most tactful way of
saying something。 “Yes； for New York； it’s a great apartment。 It’s
just hard to imagine paying so much and getting so little。 You know
your sister and Kyle only pay fourteen hundred a month total for
their condo； and they have central air； marble bathrooms； brand…new
dishwasher and washer…dryer； and three bedrooms and two bathrooms？”
she pointed out； as if she were the first to make this realization。
For 2；280 you could get a beachfront townhouse in LA； a three…story
condo on a tree…lined street in Chicago； a four…bedroom split…level
in Miami； or a goddamn castle with a moat in Cleveland。 Yes； we knew
this。
“And two parking spots； access to the golf course； gym； and pool；” I
added helpfully。 “Yeah； I know。 But believe it or not； this is a
great deal。 I think we’ll be very happy here。”
She hugged me。 “I think you will be； too。 As long as you don’t work
too hard to enjoy it；” she said lightly。
My dad walked in and opened the duffel bag that he’d been dragging
around all day； one I’d assumed held racquetball clothes for his
game later。 But he pulled out a maroon box emblazoned with “Limited
Edition！” across the front。 Scrabble。 The collector’s edition； where
the board came mounted on its own lazy Susan and the squares had
little raised borders so the letters didn’t slide around。 We’d been
admiring them together in specialty game stores for the past ten
years； but no occasion had ever warranted purchasing one。
“Oh； Dad。 You shouldn’t have！” I knew the board cost well over two
hundred dollars。 “Oh！ I just love it！”
“Use it in good health；” he said； hugging me back。 “Or better yet；
to kick your old man’s ass； as I know you will。 I remember when I
used to let you win。 I had to； or you’d stomp around the house；
sulking all night。 And now！ Well； now my old brain cells are fried
and I couldn’t beat you if I tried。 Not that I won’t；” he added。
I was about to tell him that I’d learned from the best； but Alex had
walked in。 And he didn’t look happy。
“What’s wrong？” I immediately asked as he fidgeted with his
sneakers。
“Oh； nothing at all；” he lied while glancing in the direction of my
parents。 He shot me a “just hold on a sec” look and said； “Here； I
brought a box。”
“Let’s go get a few more；” my dad said to my mom； moving toward the
door。 “Maybe Mr。 Fisher has some sort of cart。 We could bring a
bunch up at once。 Be right back。”
I looked at Alex； and we both waited until we’d heard the elevator
open and close。
“So； I just talked to Lily；” he said slowly。
“She’s not still mad at me； is she？ She’s been so weird all week。”
“No； I don’t think it’s that。”
“So what is it？”
“Well； she wasn’t at Home 。 。 。”
“So where is she？ Some guy’s apartment？ I can’t believe she’s late
for her own moving day。” I yanked open one of the windows in the
converted bedroom to let some of the cold air dissipate the smell of
new paint。
“No； she was actually at a police precinct in midtown。” He looked at
his shoes。
“She was where？ Is she OK？ Ohmigod！ Was she mugged or raped？ I have
to go to her right away。”
“Andy； she’s fine。 She was arrested。” He said it quietly；