Page 245

I hold it in both hands.

I zip it back into the pocket. I unzip the pocket again.

I eat one. It is exactly as bad as he said.

I eat another, and my face does not stay still.

From the guest room Tova says something in Swedish in her sleep. I do not get up. I sit on Gabi’s floor with my back against her door and my hand over my mouth until it passes, and it does not pass for a long time.

I leave the suitcase open.

Chapter forty-four

Colt

The appointment notice used to live under a magnet on the refrigerator. Now it’s folded in my inside jacket pocket, soft at the creases from being checked more times than necessary.

Elena pushed our case through, which is how we got here this fast. Nothing else about today feels fast.

We’ve lost five of seven since Astrid left. The last spot is somebody else’s now.

Astrid is already in the waiting room when I walk in, wearing black trousers and a cream blouse, her hair down and the blue folder across her knees.

I know the folder. Marriage certificate. Bank statements. Insurance. Courthouse photographs. Mail with both our names on it.

She sees me. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

I take the chair across from her. There are six of them, a television with the sound off, and a number machine nobody seems to be using.

Astrid’s thumb rests against the edge of the folder. I nearly ask whether she brought the originals, and then I don’t, because I know she did.

A door opens.

“Mr. Riley? Ms. Nilsson?”

The officer is gray at his temples, glasses low on his nose. He introduces himself, checks our identification, and takes us into a small office.

Astrid chooses one of the two chairs facing his desk and I take the other. Two weeks ago there wouldn’t have been this much room between us.

He notices.

He has us raise our right hands and swear that what we tell him will be true. My left stays in my lap.

He opens the file.

“You both list the same residential address.”

“Yes.”

Astrid says, “That is our home.”

“Are you both living there now?”

“No.”

He looks at her.