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“Are you sure you don’t need any help moving, Mari?”

Marianne adjusts the cell phone on her shoulder. There’s a concerned lilt to Hilda’s voice on the other side of the line, and part of Marianne appreciates it, but she can’t help the familiar curls of dread from settling into her gut.

“No, it’s alright,” she says, opening a cardboard box and peering inside. Dull blankets stare back up at her. “Um, the movers handled all the big stuff so it’s mostly just unpacking.”

“Well, alright.” Marianne walks over to the window and sits down on the floor beneath it. “But I’m definitely throwing you a housewarming party, alright? Maybe next weekend?”

Marianne curls her toes into the carpet.

“Maybe. If… nothing comes up.”

“If nothing comes up? You already got plans, Mari? Gonna hit the town, see the sights?”

“Well, you know.” Marianne worries at her cuticles. “There’s still so much to do around here before, um. It’s presentable. For something like that.”

“Riiiiiiight.” Marianne winces at how clearly Hilda doubts her. “And you’re sure you don’t need any help.”

Marianne looks around her new apartment. The walls are bare. Boxes are piled on top of each other and scattered across the floor. It seems like too little and too much at the same time. The idea of her going through it all is immediately draining.

“Yeah,” she says. “I’m sure.”

Marianne drags a few of the lighter boxes closer to the wall, forming a barrier between the corner and the greater part of the room. She takes a few of the blankets and lays them out on the ground before crawling on top of them and cocooning herself.

She falls asleep to the sound of traffic below.

“Soooooo.” Hilda grins at her from behind her sunglasses, pink nails curling around her mug of tea. “How are you liking the new place?”

Marianne sits across from her outside a small cafe, ivy spilling out of hanging planters along the windowsills. It’s a bit expensive, but Hilda insisted on taking her to “the hidden gems around town” and the bistro is the first on the list.

Hilda showed Marianne the list when they first arrived. It’s nice, written in gel on creamy stationary, with decorative flourishes around the edges.

Marianne chews the inside of her cheek.

“It’s nice,” she says. “I like being alone.”

Hilda’s face collapses into a frown. “I’m sorry you couldn’t move in with me and Doro, but our shithead roommate is all talk, apparently, and didn’t actually pack up and go after that big fight with our landlord.”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Marianne says, reaching for her own cup. “I really do like being alone.”

Hilda pouts. “I guess…. Still, it would’ve been fun to have you.”

Marianne gives her a small smile.

“Yeah.”

“That being said, feel free to drop by whenever. I can get you a key so even if we aren’t there you can let yourself in.”

“Oh,” Marianne begins, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, “but what about your other roommate? I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“Literally don’t even worry about her, she barely pays rent anyway.” Hilda sighs. “I was so looking forward to her leaving.”

Marianne toys with her mug.

“I’ll think about it.”