The Middle Stories by Sheila Heti Read Free Book Online

it.
    “What do you want, Eleanor?”
    Eleanor apologized and wondered if she could come in a bit, and she squeezed herself carefully through the opening, not wanting to budge the door. She looked slowly at Tim, then sat on his bed, but upon catching his expression she stood.
    “What do you think of this letter?” she asked, and pulled it from the pocket of her skirt, unfolded it, and handed it to him.
    He took it blithely and held it in front of his face, reading it beginning to end while Eleanor waited anxiously.
    “I think he’s in love with you,” said Tim, handing it back.
    “Really, really?” Eleanor tried not to seem excited, but she shouldn’t have tried; it was useless. She had lived long enough, one would have thought, to have learned some things about herself, like that she couldn’t hide her feelings. Obviously no friend had been good or wise enough to tell her.
    “He loves you,” Tim affirmed. He wasn’t the least bit surprised. There were all sorts of pathetic and desperate people in the world, he knew that. He looked briefly at Eleanor from under his lids. It was the second time he had ever looked at her with a man’s eyes. First time was when she had moved into the house, but that was just for an instant.
    Eleanor began to blush. She wasn’t sure whether to leave the room or not. She felt she should, but she also wanted him to say something more, something that would explain it all. Tim said nothing. He just looked.
     
     
    ELEANOR WAS VERY fond of ice cream. She told the man, when he called, that he would have to buy her ice cream if he wanted to take her on a date. He agreed and she dropped the receiver twice before hanging it in the cradle properly.
    The next evening she sat at the little table in her room, wearing red lipstick and pinning up her hair. The old woman pushed her walker past the open door on her way to the toilet. She stopped when she saw Eleanor fancying herself up.
    “Eleanor,” she shouted, “are you going out with a man?”
    “Yes,” Eleanor said, not turning around.
    The old woman thought about this, then nodded. “Good for you.” She continued down the hall.
     
     
    ELEANOR WALKED OUT of the house and stood waiting by the front gate. The night was cool; it was only seven o’clock so it wasn’t completely dark out. It was blue. The man came along the sidewalk and when he saw Eleanor he started running toward her, shouting out her name. Eleanor was delighted. He came to an abrupt stop right where she was standing and looked down at her proudly, huffing and grinning.
    “I have a gift for you,” he said, and held out a big box covered in wrapping paper and tied with a bow.
    “Shall I open it now?” Eleanor wondered.
    “Yes. No. I don’t know.”
    “I’ll wait,” she decided, and hurried up the path to take the box inside. Her dress was swishing and he watched it as it moved. He watched the top of the dress as it left the house and hastened back toward him.
    “Shall we go, Eleanor? Are you ready to go, Eleanor?”
    His saying her name twice made her a little uneasy.
    “Why not,” she said.
    He held her by the elbow and they walked the three blocks to the ice cream shop. It was uncomfortable for her to be held in such a way, but she didn’t mind enough to say anything about it. He seemed very pleased and neither of them talked much. When they arrived at the parlor he held the door open for her. After she had picked out her flavors he made her sit in one of the booths while he paid and brought over the bowls himself. He sat down across from her.
    “I like to wait on you, Eleanor,” he said. “You’re beautiful.”
    “Thank you,” she replied, and felt smarter and more assured than before, as though she had several other men after her tail as well. She felt removed and superior. She was content to find herself judging him.
    Within a few minutes they were bent down over their bowls, eating their ice cream in silence. Then Eleanor felt a chill cover her