TER

ng, coffee was

e it, a s

not touch it. She waited,

not dis

ather bound. Thick paper. The kind archite

tucked

You should have som

o her chest. She did not

-

e. Always gone. She had st

er coffee and her new sketchbook. She

e a promise. She had not drawn in months. Years. There was

ity. The buildings. The tiny

oked at what she had made

otten she co

-

n, she visite

ly with a cane. The nurses cheered w

ok under her arm. H

The buildings. The detai

ch page. Slow

w," he said. "Di

not kn

. Said she only had room for on

uld not

said. "Not just the drawings. Ev

ad. She stayed until

-

t, she co

because her mother never made it. She wanted to sur

at 9pm. Earli

saw the sketchbook on the

rew,"

t. I had

looked at each page. Slowly. C

re good,

kno

ched again. Th

At the table. Both

different

My mother n

s go

kno

again. She coun

-

d around each other in the small kitchen like people who

ow," he said. "Investors

d drying.

f they see us together. I

"What shou

lp. She knows

at this," he said. "Pretending

on't pr

oked

l be me. If they don't believ

t how busin

s needs to wor

long moment. Then he no

id. "We'll tr

-

was in a conference

. Not too fancy. Not too plain. Her hair was down. Her

elevator. He looked

k..." He

ha

ke

. "That's

ey shook hands. They made small talk. They watched

His plans. His vision. He wa

he investors

What do you think of

could have performed. She could ha

she told

ly. I think he's been alone so long he forgot what it feels

le

rs looked a

like she had just

forward. "Mrs. Vance, are

It save

laugh. The other

ead investor said t

ed. "I in

-

, in the elevator

ruined it. Said too

he said. "I sh

N

oked a

ve ever had," he said. "They

't pret

's why they b

oors opened. H

that about me," he said. "In my co

hand. Just

she said. "I'm n

-

she could no

chen. He was there.

thout speaking. Shou

your grandfat

Who took him to work on Saturdays. Who taught him

ael said. "After that, it was j

he was sorry. She

ow you wanted to

me crayons when I was

id you

No money for good paper. No room in my

Like he u

. "Not while you're here. T

at him in

he said.