"Well, thank you," Roger said.
"Thank you for your time, sir," Hawes said.
"Thank you," Willis said.
They both went out. Roger closed the door behind them. He waited until he could no longer hear their footsteps, and then he locked the door.
Molly's scarf was in the bottom drawer of his dresser.
They had come back to the room at a little past midnight, coming quietly up the steps to the third floor, walking past Fook's apartment, and then pausing silently outside Roger's room as he searched for his key and unlocked the door. They stepped inside, and he closed the door behind them, shutting out the light from the hallway. They stood in darkness for several seconds while he groped for the light switch just inside the door. When the light went on, Molly seemed surprised that he hadn't tried to kiss her in the dark.
"This is very nice," she said, looking around the room. "Very nice."
"Thank you," he said. They were both whispering. No one had seen them come into the building, and no one knew she was here in the room with him, but they whispered nonetheless, as though the entire building knew they were alone together, as though each and every one of the tenants was eavesdropping.
"It's not too small at all," Molly said.
"No, it's all right. Plenty of room for just one person."
"That's right," Molly said. She took off her coat and scarf and put them over the arm of the easy chair. "Well," she said, "this is really nice. Maybe I'll move. Do you think there are any vacancies?"
"Gee, I wouldn't know," Roger said. "But actually, this room'll be empty tomorrow, you know. I'll be going back to Carey tomorrow."
"That's right," she said, "I almost forgot."
"Yeah," Roger said, and nodded.
She sat on the edge of the bed. "It's too bad you're going back so soon," she said.
"Well, there's really no reason for me to stay any longer, you know. My mother's expecting me, so really I have to-"
"Oh, sure," Molly said. "This is very comfortable. The bed."
"Yeah, it's not a bad bed," Roger said.
"It seems very comfortable. I hate lumpy mattresses, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Or ones that are too soft."
"This one is pretty good, actually," Roger said. "You get a good night's sleep on it."
Molly leaned back suddenly, swinging her legs up on to the bed and stretching her arms over her head. "Mmmm," she said, "this sure feels good." She smiled at Roger. "I'd better be careful or I'll fall asleep."
"Well," Roger said, and smiled.
"Do you know what gets me about looking for a job?" she asked.
"No what?"
"My feet. They're killing me. Would you mind if I took off my shoes?"
"No, not at all."
"I'll be leaving in a minute," she said, sitting up, and crossing her legs, and taking off first one high-heeled pump and then the other. "But while I'm here I might as well take advantage of the opportunity, huh?"
"Sure," Roger said.
"Ahhhhh," she said, and wiggled her toes. "Ahhhh, that feels good." She put her arms behind her, the elbows locked, and stared up at him. "Aren't you going to take off your coat?" she asked.
"What? Oh. Oh, I thought-"
"I've got a few minutes," she said. "We don't have to rush right out again. I mean, not unless you want to."
"No, no," Roger said.
"Besides, it feels so good with these shoes off," she said, and smiled.
"Just make yourself comfortable," he said. He took off his coat and went to the closet with it. "I'm sorry I can't offer you a drink or anything, but I haven't got any in the room."
"Oh, that's all right," she said. "I don't drink much anyway."
He hung his coat on a hanger, and then took Molly's from the chair and put it over his on the same hanger. He looped her scarf over the hanger hook, and put everything back in the closet. "If the liquor stores were open," he said, "I'd go down for some. But I think-"
"No, I don't mind. I hope I didn't give you the impression that I drink a lot."
"No, I didn't get that impression."
"Because I usually don't, except socially. It's been so depressing, though, marching around this city and not being able to find anything. It can get really depressing, I mean it."
"I can imagine," Roger said.
"Boy, it's good to get out of those shoes," she said, and she leaned back, propping herself on one elbow so she could watch him. She smiled. "Is that the only light in here?" she asked.
"What?"
"The light. It's kind of harsh."
"There's a lamp on the dresser," Roger said. "Would you like it better if I-"
"Please. It's just that lying back like this, I'm looking right up into the light there.".
"I'll just put this one on," Roger said, and went to the dresser. He turned on the small lamp, and then flicked out the overhead light. "How's that?"
"Better," she said. "Much better."
She closed her eyes. The room was silent.
"Mmm," she said. She stretched and then leaned back and said, "I really better be careful or I will fall asleep."
"It's early yet," Roger said.
"The night is young, huh?" she said, and giggled. "Be funny if your landlady walked in here tomorrow morning and found a strange girl in your bed, wouldn't it?"
