Home was only a couple dozen, or so, blocks from the office. She could have walked it most days, but the unpredictable weather made driving a lot safer. Plus walking would mean getting up earlier in the morning. Besides she enjoyed the drive, surrounded by leather with a favored CD playing on the stereo. She drove out of the parking garage and headed east. The cityscape devolved vertically from skyscrapers, stuffed side by side, to one and two story businesses and eventually gave way to residential areas.

Lea parallel parked at the curb, just a few spaces down from her house. She had bought the condo in the divided Victorian because she loved the feel of the neighborhood. The houses were old, many subdivided into apartments, but were well maintained on a tree lined street.

She entered the yard through a wrought iron gate. The yard was small, just a patch of grass with well tended flower beds. Lea was glad Toby enjoyed taking care of the yard. Toby and Bernard owned the downstairs condo. She unlocked the front door and walked into the foyer, the ceiling soared over hardwood floors. The staircase to her place was straight ahead on the right, the door to Toby and Bernard's was tucked beneath the staircase. Where, Lea assumed, had once been a closet. Whoever had divided the space had done an excellent job converting a single family home into two separate and complete spaces, without making the house feel like it had been chopped up.

Lea picked her mail up from the hall table, where Bernard always left it for her. Sometimes, she felt like the two guys had adopted her. She smiled and thought she wasn't going to complain. As she started up the stairs, she called out, "Honey, I'm home."

Lea had started this ritual after Bernard had mentioned he had walked upstairs several times thinking she was home, hearing someone moving around. Bernard worked from home and always seemed to be there. She didn't always know if Bernard heard her call out, but sometimes the door would swing open and an invitation would be issued for dinner, popcorn and a movie or a game. Lea frequently accepted the offers. The guys were good company and Toby was a master in the kitchen.