turn on the light above his bed. "Sure. You kids get ready for sleep and I'll read you a story." He walked out into the kitchen and soon returned with the battered glove. He pulled one of the wooden table chairs between the girls' large bed and Tommy's smaller one. "What'll it be, kids? The pigs, the bears, or the wolf?" "Why don't you tell us more about Barry? Is it bigger than Chicago?" Eugenie's smooth dark hair appeared above the cover and dark brown eyes searched her father's face. "Well, Eugenie, it's really just a small place. There are only about 1500 people and you kids will be able to play in a yard of your own instead of in an alley or street." He remembered his wife's look around dinner and almost decided to ask the kids if they still wanted to go. Instead, he simply said, "How does it sound to you?" "Great!" said a sleepy, boyish voice. "Will there be a playground?" "Sure. Why don't you go to sleep and dream about it? We'll be there tomorrow." Tom turned off the light over his son's bed. He whispered the usual endearments and then turned and walked out, softly closing the door. Ellie was nearly asleep when Tom went back to their bedroom. He undressed quietly without turning on the light. He crawled into bed and his tired body welcomed the coolness of the sheets. Ellie's lips brushed his cheek and she put her hand in his. "Good night, honey." "Night, Ellie. Tomorrow's a big day you know." "Mmmmm." The sun shone faintly through the window. Tom rubbed his eyes and tried to accustom them to the light. He could smell the coffee that Ellie was brewing in the kitchen. He got out of bed and dressed rapidly. As he passed by the children's bedroom, he opened the door and called them to get up. "The movers will be here soon," called Ellie. "Will you help me pack the rest of the bedding and whatever else we can take in the car?" "Yeah. I've got to have a cup of coffee first. Oh, Ellie, don't you feel kinda' excited?" "Some, I guess. It's kinda' strange, isn't it? The leaving I mean." It's gonna' be different, Chuck had said. Tom gazed at his wife as she spoke as if he expected the same defiance from her. She simply smiled and waited for his answer. "Uh huh. Come on. I'll help you pack the rest." The kids were up and dressed. Their bedding was neatly folded and ready for final packing. They were strangely quiet and there was little of the usual early morning activity. An echoing sort of knock at the door announced the 12 arrival of the movers and Tom felt a sudden unexpected pang of doubt as he let them in. They had the beds and dressers and the kitchen furniture in the van in less than an hour. Ellie walked slowly through the apartment and wondered aloud just how five people had lived in it. The kids were already down in the car as Tom and Ellie left the apartment and locked the door. They walked out into the sunshine and were greeted by the happy, more-wide-awake voices of three adventurers. Ellie turned suddenly and rushed back into the building. She pushed the key under the first door and then rejoined her husband in the car. Tom had to coax the usually reliable '58 Ford to start. He looked up at the second floor windows across the street and was surprised to see several of the curtains and window shades move slightly. He felt the presence of the invisible farewell committee and he turned to see if Ellie could feel it too. She was watching the van. She glanced briefly at her quiet husband and then at the surrounding buildings. "Let's go captain." Tom steered the slowly moving car round the van and then waited for the truck to catch up at the corner stop sign. He sat there and stared at the gray, red, and brown buildings. The sun had somehow given them a cleanness that they would lack later in the day. Tom raised his left hand from the steering wheel and moved his fingers lightly in the direction of the Alvarez apartment. The window shade wasn't moving now, but someone was there. "Goodbye, Chuck," whispered an empty voice that seemed to echo in the car. There would be no response. None was expected. 13