I sat quietly next to him, enjoying his presence. He rested his chin on my head and caressed my arm. We arrived all too soon. After opening the door, the driver asked whether he should wait. “No, thank you,” Mitch said. “I’ll get her home from here.” I nodded my head in agreement and he drove away. We mounted the stairs to his apartment in silence. “Here we are,” he said lamely as he opened the door and escorted me within. “So we are.” I surveyed the apartment; it was actually neater than the last time I had visited. The bookshelves were dusted and there were tread marks on the carpet left behind from a recent vacuuming. “Were you expecting company? Everything is so clean.” “I was expecting you,” he said bluntly. “Oh.” I went to look at the books. “You seem to be pretty sure of me.” I tried to make it sound casual, offhand, but failed. “Why do you have to be so defensive? I only meant that I was hoping you would come.” He looked away angrily. “I’m sorry, Mitch.
