We’d been lucky to find a unique two-bedroom in a Greenpoint townhouse with tons of natural light that we could actually afford, something we hadn’t thought was possible. While our side street was a bit rundown with boarded-up buildings scattered along the block, construction in the surrounding areas suggested improvement in the future. The townhouse was next to Belly of the Beast, a beasts of the world themed bar with a large outdoor patio. Previous tenants had complained about the noise that went on until the early hours of the morning, making it difficult for the owners to find renters, even after they’d updated the appliances and had the hardwood floors refinished. There were only three apartments in the building: the second floor occupied by a woman in her seventies who was hard of hearing, and the third-floor unit belonged to Mickey, the lead bartender at The Beast. The ground floor apartment had sat empty for over a month, a rarity in New York real estate, causing the owners to lower the price. While we had initially been avoiding ground floor units due to safety concerns, we couldn’t believe the amount of space and amenities for the price. Both me and Andie slept like the dead, so when the owners nervously mentioned the issue with the noise keeping other tenants away, we’d felt like we’d hit the jackpot and signed the lease right away, pushing down any concerns and relishing the excitement over our first home.

Andie kicked off her clunky but comfy clogs and stripped shamelessly out of her green-blue scrubs as she crossed the living room before grabbing her cotton robe from a hook just inside her bedroom door. She wrapped it around herself and plopped down next to me on our blue and white striped Ikea couch, rippling the cushions and reaching for my laptop with gusto.

‘Well it was me who gifted you the 23andMe kit for your birthday after all, my sweet baby cousin. Of course I want to see your results.’

‘First of all,’ I said, snatching the computer from Andie’s reach, ‘I really wish you would shower after work before getting so cozy next to me on the couch.’ Andie rolled her eyes but gestured wildly at her robe. I’d yelled at her before for sitting down in her scrubs when she got home from the hospital, and apparently she thought this was a big improvement. I shivered at the idea of all the potential germs that could be clinging to her after one of her shifts. Sighing, trying to shake away those thoughts, I continued. ‘And second of all, turning 27 means I’m far from being your baby anything.’

‘Okay, okay,’ Andie said, giving me a playful shove. ‘Pull it up already!’