Mrs. Eldridge gave her a front room on my floor. She looked across at me with acid eyes and said, “When you’re visiting your cousin, leave the door open.”
“I will,” I said, and took the receipt Mrs. Eldridge handed me.
When she had gone, Marian said, “So we have to leave the door open.”
“Uh-huh.”
“How much open?”
“Oh, two or three inches. I’m going anyway.”
“Donald, I wish you didn’t have to go. Can’t you stay here for a little while and — and visit.”
“No. Charlie might not like it.”
She screwed her face up in a little grimace and said, “I wish you’d quit kidding about him.”
“But what’s his real name?” I asked.