“I have a quick call to make and then I’ll pitch in,” I said. “Is there a scheme in the works or is it grab and go?”

“I’ve been picking up items in random order. When William gets back, we’ll park him in Rosie’s kitchen and he can tell us how he wants the shelves arranged.”

“How’s he doing?”

“Don’t ask.”

“What about the cat?”

“Ed’s fine. He slept in my bed with his head on the pillow next to mine. And don’t roll your eyes.”

“I won’t. I swear.”

I rolled my eyes as soon as my back was turned, but I was smiling as I did so. I unlocked the studio and set my shoulder bag on the nearest stool. I put a call in to Aaron, who picked up on the second ring. I gave him Ted Hill’s name and the name of the bank. “It doesn’t sound like he’s going to be a butt about getting into the box,” I said.

“Do you want to be there?”

“Absolutely! I’d love it.”

“Good. I’ll talk to Hill and get back to you.”

I left the studio door open in case Aaron called back while I was moving items. Henry was better at loading than I was, so I delivered boxes and left it up to him to determine how to stack and stow them in the back of the station wagon.

The cat supervised our efforts, climbing in and out of the car, walking across the seat back, and perching in the spot with the best view, usually right where Henry intended to put a box. The vet had told Henry the cat was less than two years old, and it was clear he’d retained many of his kittenish ways. I’m not going to report every cute thing the cat did, but I noticed both Henry and I had taken up baby talk in our inane, ongoing conversational exchange with him. Henry swore Ed understood English, though he didn’t seem that interested in what we had to say. Whatever the cat’s native tongue, his tone of voice couldn’t be the same high-pitched, goofy one Henry and I had adopted in our comments to him. I always knew having a cat around would do this to me, which is why I’ve resisted. I’d thought Henry and I were of like minds, but clearly he’d lost his.

Aaron called at 6:00 that night. We’d completed the move. Henry and William were still over at Rosie’s, reorganizing the goods and equipment. They’d insisted they didn’t need my help, so I’d come home to shower. The phone rang as I was coming down the spiral stairs in a fresh pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.