would be feasting there soon enough. She packed her bags with the items she had brought, including the soup she had made, and walked with them to the door. There, a generous, spontaneous urge got hold of her once more, and she turned toward Bill, saying, “If you need anything, you can ask the front desk to call me. I’ll be glad to come back. It’s no problem.”
“That won’t be necessary,” he replied, breaking his surly wordlessness.
“There’s not much codeine in that bottle, but I don’t have any more. Regular aspirin is all that I have in my apartment.”
“It’ll be enough,” he said, nodding at the bottle on his dresser.
“I’ll let the front desk know that they should check on you.”
“That’s not necessary. I don’t need any help. I’m fine,” he assured her, although signs of pain were clearly visible in his face.
She opened the door, and then turned back to him with a new thought. “Let me give you my number in case there’s an emergency.”
“No, I don’t need it,” he replied.
“Are you sure you don’t want my number? Your sister doesn’t live close by. I can be here in minutes.”
“No. I don’t need your number. I’ll be all right. With a little more sleep, I’ll feel like myself again. I just had a slight fall, when I lost my footing on a trail,” he explained. He was becoming quite a talker.
“OK, then. Goodnight.” She opened the door again.
“Bye,” he said. Something like sadness or gratitude, or maybe it was only perfunctory politeness, seized him, and he added, “Thanks for cleaning the place. It looks better.”
She smiled, turning toward him. She had some friendly advice to share. “You should have someone clean your apartment every week. You’re too old to live like a college student. It doesn’t cost much. The woman who comes to my apartment every other week would probably charge you fifty dollars. She asks more from me, but I have a two bedroom. Your place is small. Do you want her number?”
The momentary improvement in Bill’s disposition disappeared. He felt insulted. It was more than he could stand, because she seemed to him entirely unconscious of her triple attack upon him. First—and most importantly—he was not old. Second, the maid was too expensive. Third, his apartment was large enough, more than large enough. His face froze into a mask of glaring granite, like the twisted grimace of an angry god carved by ancient Mayan sculptors. “No,” he rebuked her in a thundering voice with flashing eyes. “You can go now.” He motioned her out of his apartment, as if he were commanding a victim to ascend the steps of an Aztec temple to be sacrificed.
“OK. It was just a suggestion,” she replied, unawed by his imperious manner and unsurprised by his response, since what she had suggested would be an expense, and she knew how he felt about spending. “I hope you feel better soon,” she said cheerfully. Those words placated the minor deity a little, but he was still glad to see her exit his apartment, taking all of her advice with her.
Just before the door closed, Helen stuck her head back inside. “Are you sure you can lock up?” she asked. “I can ask the front desk to do it.”
“I’ll be there, as soon as you close the door,” he answered impatiently.
“OK. Just thought I should check. It’s a long way from the bed to the door,” she pointed out.
“I can make it,” he said curtly.
Helen was unconvinced, but she stepped back into the hallway, firmly pulling his door closed. She wanted to see how long it would take him to lock it, if he could. “I’ll give him five minutes,” she said to herself. “Then I’ll get Jonathan. I ought to call an ambulance for that sick puppy.” She put her bags on the floor, while she waited.
From where she stood, his moans and groans, as he forced himself to stand, were clearly audible. She thought about calling out to him, insisting on his staying where he was, because she was going to have Jonathan lock the door, but she kept quiet. Next she heard an extended bellowing, somewhat similar to the sound of a moose in mating season, as Bill hobbled the length of the apartment toward the door, as fast as he could. When he slammed into the door, pressing his whole body against it to support himself, the thud made Helen jump. When she heard the lock turn, she said