There was a knock against the jamb of the open door and she looked up to see Raj. She stood, wiping her chapped hands on her apron.

“Lew said you were up here. He’s looking very smart in his suit down there.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “We haven’t really got anywhere to sit yet.” She pulled one of the two chairs out from the little table for him and sat on the bed.

“I’ve just come to say goodbye,” he said.

“We’ll come to the station.”

“No, no, it’s too early. Four in the morning tomorrow. Better to say goodbye now.” He sat on the creaking chair.

“How’s the baby?”

“It’s nothing but a feeling of sickness right now.”

“My dad came to visit.”

“What?”

“My real dad. He was at the house after your wedding. Came and went.”

“Why? What did he come for? What did he say?”

“Didn’t say anything, really. Wanted some of his brother’s papers, I think. Brought me a boomerang. Couldn’t remember my name.”

“Did you ask him about your mom?”

“Didn’t get a chance, really. He was in a hurry.”

“What a damn jerk.” She wanted to put her hand on his or something, but she had set the chair too far away. Drumming his fingers absently against his lips, he was glancing around the room. She felt ashamed at how small and bleak it was.

“So tell me about him. What did it feel like to—?”

“I’ll write you about it,” he said. “Not sure what I think right now.”

“Write often and write good letters,” she said. “I’ll write you good letters, though there’s probably not going to be a lot going on here.”

“And my life studying physics is going to be real exciting.”

“It will be. You’ll be in a big city. You’ll meet all kinds of new people.”

“Bunch of nerds like me.”

She couldn’t stand it anymore. “You’re sitting too far away.”

He went to shift his chair closer, but she put her hand on the bed beside her. “Sit next to me.”