A Room With A View

Chapter Fifty-Six - Elena

November 25, Saturday

The twins adored Madeline. Elena wasn't sure what exactly had happened while they'd been in Madeline's apartment, but they seemed to think she was the salt of the earth. They hadn't stopped saying her name all evening. Elena had had to name the new Evil Robot toy "Madeline" just to get them to knock it off. She felt a bit guilty about that. Probably less than she should.

"Well, I suppose I'm off," Sybil said. She stood with her roller bag next to the front door. Elena moved away from where she'd been watching the twins play in the living room, and gave her sister a hug.

"I'm glad you came," Elena said, hoping her sister knew how much she meant it.

Sybil squeezed Elena back. "Me too."

"And you'll come down for the twins' birthday?" Elena asked, pulling away but not letting go.

Sybil nodded. Her eyes were wet.

Elena let go quickly before she started crying too. Then she'd never been able to stop. Lima bean had Elena's hormones all in knots.

"Get home safe, okay? Text me when you're back in Portland."

"Okay, Mom," Sybil said. She gave Elena one last look, then wheeled her suitcase out of the apartment and toward the elevator.

Elena stood in the hallway, feeling suddenly alone. She wiped a finger beneath her eye.

"Boys, let's go visit your father, okay?" Elena said.

"Daddy!" Isaac chirped. He hurried out into the hall, his rubber-spotted socks making loud sticking noises against the hardwood. Jeremiah followed more slowly. He was clearly upset to leave behind his game. They had been taking down the Evil Robot with their dinosaurs and the stray stuffed bear they'd found under Isaac's bed.

The bear had been winning. Elena felt marginally more guilty about Madeline the Evil Robot.

"Where Daddy?" Isaac asked. He kept reaching for the doorknob, but his little arm couldn't quite reach.

"Where is Daddy," Elena corrected, opening the door for him. "He's upstairs in your gra—in someone's apartment."

"Why?" Jeremiah asked. He hugged a T. Rex to his chest.

Elena licked her lips. They hadn't yet explained to the boys what had happened. Then again, they didn't really need to. It wasn't as if Agatha had been a presence in their lives.

"They've left, so your Daddy and Uncle Neil are cleaning out their apartment, in case there's anything they want," Elena said instead. It sounded crass, but it was simple enough for them.

"Why?" Jeremiah asked again.

Elena pinched the bridge of her nose. She pressed the button for the Penthouse. The elevator doors slid shut.

"Because your Daddy knew the woman who lived there, so she said he could look over her things when she left," Elena said. She knew what was coming before Jeremiah had even opened his mouth.

"Why?"

"Just because, okay? Hey, what's the name of your triceratops?" Elena asked quickly. She already knew his name was Harry and that it was a T. Rex, but the frustration and the explanation Jeremiah would give would be enough to completely wipe all questions of Agatha's apartment from his mind. At least for the duration of the elevator ride.

When the doors opened, Elena had to stifle a gasp. She had never been in Agatha's apartment, and so she wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it wasn't this.