Page 33 of Lucky Night

It emits another short, piercing chirp. Then buzzing static. Then:

May I have your attention. May I have your attention, please.

It’s the voice they know, with its Bronx-accented mildness. Its calm authority.

This is your fire safety director speaking.

There’s a long pause.

Why? Don’t pause, fire safety director! Keep talking!

She can’t breathe. She can’t bear it. She’s going to faint,or—

The previous alarm has been investigated by fire department personnel and has been resolved. I repeat, the situation has been resolved.

Resolved.

That’s…

We are in the process of restoring functionality to the guest elevators, which we anticipate will take approximately thirty minutes.

It’s okay.

They’re okay!

Oh thank God. Thank God.

She keeps her eyes fixed on the smoke detector. She doesn’t look at Nick.

He must be so annoyed with her.

We appreciate your patience, and we apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you.

The smoke detector chirps again.

Then silence.

Six

She drops onto the bed.

She falls backward, closing her eyes.

She’s going to take a minute. Take a minute and just…unclench.

They’re fine. It’s nothing.

It was always nothing!

He must be so annoyed with her right now.

She’s not going to think about that. No. She’s going to lie here and enjoy the relief spreading through her, rinsing through her veins, warm and velvety. Velvet doesn’t rinse. So what? She can mix her metaphors. Because it was always nothing!

Oh thank you. Thank you, God. Thank you, fire safety director.

She keeps her eyes closed. It conveys a pleasant illusion of concealment. She’s just going to lie here and…

She feels the mattress move.

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