Wandering around, getting my bearings long after the men have packed up and gone for the day, helps this feel less like a dream. The tools are tidied away in piles against the hall walls, the masses of dust brushed to one side, and all that remains is the plastic protecting the floor and the canvas sheets covering delicate pieces of furniture from Jake’s apartment. The aura of moving in settling around me, making me grin in excitement.

Jake is busy exploring the rooms and checking ...