Page 120 of The New Couple in 5B

“Rosie needs to rest,” says Ella. “Look at her. She’s been through too much.”

They both look at me and whatever they see has Charles nodding his head.

“I’ll go, then,” says Charles.

“No,” I say. He’s an old man—fit and in good shape but no. “I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You didn’t ask me. And what else? Just sit around here frantic with worry, calling and calling? If Chad has disappeared, hasn’t called you or returned your call, he must be in trouble. Maybe he needs our help.”

What help can you give him? I wonder but don’t say.

Ella puts the soup in front of me and I eat it. It’s so good. Savory and hearty, filling my senses with its aroma and heat. She serves it with buttery crusty bread, and I eat with gusto, as if I haven’t eaten in days.

“Charles, don’t be silly,” says Ella. “Chad will call. There must be some good explanation for all of this.”

But her mouth is pressed into a tight, grim line. She’s trying to stay positive, but the situation is not good; we can all see that. Since Chad and I met we have never been out of communication for more than a few hours. Maybe he’s left me—for Olivia, for Lilian.

“I was on Xavier’s Instagram feed,” I say, finally. “The night of Dana’s art opening, Xavier was there. So was Chad—with your daughter, Lilian. You were there, too.”

Ella smiles thinly, shakes her head.

“No,” she says. “I don’t think so. You must be mistaken. We didn’t know Dana well enough to be invited to her events.”

That gives me pause. I know what I saw. They were there.

“I saw the photos. Chad and Lilian—they seemed intimate.”

I flash on that image. Of the waking dream I had here in this apartment of the man and woman in the nightclub.

Ella leans toward me, puts a comforting hand on my arm.

“I assure you whatever interest there is, it’s strictly professional. Lilian is very much the devoted wife to her Robert. Besides—Chad’s a good-looking man but Robert has something he doesn’t.”

“What’s that?”

“Money and power,” says Ella simply. “That’s what Lilian cares about. There’s little she cares about more.”

Charles offers a little chuckle. “That is true.”

The room grows overwarm, and my cheeks start to flame. My vision stutters, and a ringing starts in my head.

There he is. Miles. He stands in the corner, watching me, shaking his head, eyes wide.

“I didn’t know you lost a child,” I say to Ella. The words escape my lips before I can stop them. She draws back, surprised.

“Who told you that?” She looks so stricken. I wish I could take it back but it’s out there now.

“In my research. I read about it. I’m so sorry.”

The room tilts, and I feel sweat come up on my brow. My throat feels tight, and my breath comes raspy.

“It was a lifetime ago,” says Charles sadly. Ella looks at him through squinted eyes, and I can see years of resentment and anger in that stare, sharp as knives.

“It wasyesterday,” she says. “Just like yesterday. For me.”

“Life and death go hand in hand,” he says easily, like all the ways of the world are known to him. “Light is always followed by darkness.”

“Shut up, Charles,” she says. “Spare me the philosophizing. Our sondied.”