my　parents　had　grudgingly　accepted　that　their　daughter　wasn’t
  answering　until　noon。　In　the　seven　seconds　it　took　to　figure　all
  this　out；　I　was　also　contemplating　a　reason　why　I　should　pick　up
  this　phone　call。　Emily’s　reasons　from　the　first　day　came　back　to　me；
  though；　and　so　I　started　my　arm　in　a　floor　sweep　from　the　fort　of
  my　bed。　I　managed　to　click　it　open　just　before　it　stopped　ringing。
  “Hello？”　I　was　proud　that　my　voice　sounded　strong　and　clear；　as
  though　I’d　spent　the　past　few　hours　working　hard　at　something
  respectable　rather　than　passed　out　in　a　sleep　that　was　so　deep；　so
  intense；　it　couldn’t　possibly　have　indicated　good　things　about　my
  health。
  “Morning；　honey！　Glad　to　hear　you’re　awake。　I　just　wanted　to　tell
  you　that　we’re　in　the　sixties　on　Third；　so　I’ll　be　there　in　just　ten
  minutes　or　so；　OK？”　My　mom’s　voice　came　booming　over　the　line。
  Moving　day！　It　was　moving　day！　I’d　forgotten　entirely　that　my
  parents　had　agreed　to　e　into　the　city　to　help　me　pack　my　stuff　up
  and　take　it　to　the　new　apartment　Lily　and　I　had　rented。　We　were
  going　to　lug　the　boxes　of　clothes　and　CDs　and　picture　albums　while
  the　real　movers　tackled　my　massive　bed　frame。
  “Oh；　hi；　Mom；”　I　mumbled；　lapsing　back　into　tired…voice　mode。　“I
  thought　you　were　her。”
  “Nope；　you’ve　got　yourself　a　break　today。　Anyway；　where　should　we
  park？　Is　there　a　garage　right　around　there？”
  “Yeah；　right　under　my　building；　just　enter　right　from　Third。　Give
  them　my　apartment　number　in　the　building　and　you’ll　get　a　discount。
  I’ve　got　to　get　dressed。　I’ll　see　you　soon。”
  “OK；　honey。　Hope　you’re　ready　to　work　today！”
  I　fell　back　onto　my　pillow　and　considered　my　options　for　possibly
  going　back　to　sleep。　They　were　looking　really　grim；　considering
  they’d　driven　all　the　way　in　from　Connecticut　to　help　me　move。　Just
  then；　the　alarm　clock　blared　its　signature　static。　Ah　hah！　So　Ihad
  remembered　that　today　was　moving　day。　The　reminder　that　I　wasn’t
  going　pletely　crazy　was　a　small　fort。
  Getting　out　of　bed　was；　quite　possibly；　even　harder　to　do　than　other
  days　even　though　it　was　happening　a　few　hours　later。　My　body　had
  been　briefly　tricked　into　thinking　that　it　would　actually　get　to
  catch　up；　had　depended　on　reducing　that　infamous　“sleep　debt”　we’d
  learned　about　in　Psych　101；　when　I　wrenched　it　from　bed。　There　was　a
  small　pile　of　clothes　I’d　left　folded　by　the　bed；　the　only　things
  besides　my　toothbrush　that　I　hadn’t　yet　packed。　I　pulled　on　the　blue
  Adidas　windpants；　the　hooded　Brown　sweatshirt；　and　the　pair　of
  filthy　gray　New　Balance　sneakers　that　had　acpanied　me　around　the
  world。　Not　a　second　after　I　swooshed　the　last　of　my　Listerine　did
  the　buzzer　ring。
  “Hi；　guys。　I’ll　buzz　you　up；　just　a　sec。”
  There　was　a　knock　on　the　door　two　minutes　later；　and　instead　of　my
  parents　there　stood　a　rumpled…looking　Alex。　He　looked　great；　as
  usual。　His　faded　jeans　hung　low　on　nonexistent　hips；　and　his
  long…sleeved　navy　T…shirt　was　just　the　right　amount　of　tight。　The
  tiny　wire…rims　he　wore　only　when　he　couldn’t　tolerate　his　contacts
  were　perched　in　front　of　very　red　eyes；　and　his　hair　was　all　over
  the　place。　I　couldn’t　stop　myself　from　hugging　him　on　the　spot。　I
  hadn’t　seen　him　since　the　Sunday　before；　when　we’d　met　for　a　quick
  midafternoon　Coffee。　We’d　intended　to　spend　the　whole　day　and　night
  together；　but　Miranda　had　needed　an　emergency　babysitter　for　Cassidy
  so　she　could　take　Caroline　to　the　doctor；　and　I　had　been　recruited。
  I’d　gotten　Home　too　late　to　spend　any　real　time　with　him；　and　he’d
  recently　stopped　camping　out　in　my　bed　just　to　get　a　glimpse　of　me；
  which　I　understood。　He’d　wanted　to　stay　over　the　night　before；　but　I
  was　still　in　that　stage　of　parent…pretending：　even　though　all
  parties　involved　knew　that　Alex　and　I　were　sleeping　together；
  nothing　could　be　done；　said；　or　implied　to　actually　confirm　it。　And
  so　I　hadn’t　wanted　him　there　when　my　parents　arrived。
  “Hey；　babe。　I　thought　you　guys　could　use　some　help　today。”　He　held
  up　a　Bagelry　bag　that　I　knew　would　contain　salt　bagels；　my　favorite；
  and　some　large　coffees。　“Are　your　parents　here　yet？　I　brought　them
  Coffees；　too。”
  “I　thought　you　had　to　tutor　today；”　I　said　just　as　Shanti　emerged
  from　her　bedroom　wearing　a　black　pantsuit。　She　hung　her　head　as　she
  walked　past　us；　mumbled　something　about　working　all　day；　and　left。
  We　so　seldom　talked；　I　wondered　if　she　realized　today　was　my　last
  day　in　the　apartment。
  “I　did；　but　I　called　the　two　little　girls’　parents　and　both　said
  that　tomorrow　morning　was　fine　with　them；　so　I’m　all　yours！”
  “Andy！　Alex！”　My　father　stood　in　the　doorway　behind　Alex；　beaming　as
  though　this　were　the　best　morning　on　earth。　My　mom　looked　so　awake　I
  wondered　if　she　was　on　drugs。　I　did　a　quick　once…over　of　the
  situation　and　figured　that　they　would　rightly　assume　that　Alex　had
  just　arrived　since　he　was　still　wearing　his　shoes　and　was　obviously
  holding　recently　purchased　food。　Besides；　the　door　was　still　open。
  Phew。
  “Andy　said　you　couldn’t　make　it　today；”　my　dad　said；　setting　down
  what　looked　like　a　bag　of　bagels—also　salt；　no　doubt—and　Coffees　on
  the　table　in　the　living　room。　He　deliberately　avoided　eye　contact。
  “Are　you　on　your　way　in　or　out？”
  I　smiled　and　looked　at　Alex；　hoping　he　wasn’t　already　regretting
  what　he’d　gotten　himself　into　so　early　in　the　morning。
  “Oh；　I　just　got　here；　Dr。　Sachs；”　Alex　said　gamely。　“I　rearranged　my
  tutoring　because　I　thought　you　two　could　use　another　pair　of　hands。”
  “Great。　That’s　great—I’m　sure　it’ll　be　a　big　help。　Here；　help
  yourself　to　bagels。　Alex；　I’m　sorry　to　say　that　we　didn’t　get　three
  Coffees　since　we　didn’t　know　you’d　be　here。”　My　dad　looked　genuinely
  upset；　which　was　touching。　I　knew　he　still　had　trouble　with　his
  youngest　daughter　having　a　boyfriend；　but　he　did　his　best　not　to
  show　it。
  “No　worries；　Dr。　S。　I　brought　some　stuff；　too；　so　it　looks　like
  there’s　plenty。”　And　somehow；　my　dad　and　my　boyfriend　sat　down　on
  the　futon　together—without　a　trace　of　awkwardness—and　shared　an
  early…morning　breakfast。
  I　sampled　salt　bagels　from　each　of　their　bags　and　thought　about　how
  much　fun　it　would　be　to　live　with　Lily　again。　We’d　been　out　of
  college　for　nearly　a　year　now。　We’d　tried　to　talk　at　least　once　a
  day；　but　it　still　felt　like　we　hardly　ever　saw　each　other。　Now；　we
  would　e　Home　to　each　other　and　bitch　about　our　respective　hellish
  days—just　like　old　times。　Alex　and　my　dad　prattled　on　about　sports
  （basketball；　I　think）　while　my　mom　and　I　labeled　the　boxes　in　my
  room。　Sadly；　there　wasn’t　much：　just　a　few　boxes　of　bed　linens　and
  pillows；　another　of　photo　albums　and　assorted　desk　supplies　（even
  though　I　lacked　a　desk）；　some　makeup　and　toiletries；　and　a　whole
  bunch　of　garment　bags　filled　with　un…Runway…esque　clothes。　Hardly
  enough　to　warrant　labels；　I　guess　it　was　the　assistant　in　me　kicking
  in。
  “Let’s　get　moving；”　my　dad　called　from　the　living　room。
  “Shhh！　You’ll　wake　Kendra；”　I　loudly　whispered　back。　“It　is　only
  nine　in　the　morning　on　a　Saturday；　you　know。”
  Alex　was　shaking　his　head。　“Didn’t　you　see　her　leave　with　Shanti
  before？　At　least；　I　think　that　was　her。　There　were　definitely　two　of
  them；　and　they　were　both　wearing　suits　and　looking　unhappy。　Check
  their　bedroom。”
  The　door　to　the　room　they　managed　to　share　by　bunking　their　beds　was
  ajar；　and　I　pushed　it　open　slightly。　Both　beds　were　made
  meticulously；　pillows　fluffed　and　matching　stuffed　Gund　dogs　propped
  up　on　each。　I　didn’t　realize　until　then　that　I’d　never　so　much　as
  stepped　foot　in　their　room—in　the　few　months　I’d　lived　with　these
  girls；　we　hadn’t　had　a　conversation　of　longer　than　thirty　seconds—I
  didn’t　know　exactly　what　they　did；　where　they　went；　or　if　they　had
  any　friends　besides　each　other。　I　was　glad　to　be　leaving。
  Alex　and　my　dad　had　cleaned　up　the　leftover　food　and　were　trying　to
  map　out　a　game　plan。　“You’re　right；　they’re　both　gone。　I　don’t　even
  think　they　know　I’m　leaving　today。”
  “Maybe　leave　them　a　note？”　my　mom　suggested。　“Maybe　on　your　Scrabble
  board。”　I’d　inherited　my　father’s　addiction　to　Scrabble；　and　he　had
  a　theory　that　each　new　Home　required　a　new　board　so　I　was　leaving
  the　old　one　behind。
  I　took　the　last　five　minutes　in　the　apartment　to　make　the　tiles
  read；　“Thanks　for　everything　and　good　luck　XO　Andy。”　Fifty…nine
  points。　Not　bad。
  It　took　an　hour　to　pack　both　of　the　cars　up；　with　me　not　doing　much
  more　than　propping　open　the　door　to　the　street　and　guarding　the
  vehicle