A Stranger Left an Envelope Beside My Bed on My Sixty-Second Birthday—Then I Found His Photograph with My Son

I accepted.

“A trip?” she asked as she prepared the payment.

“A garden.”

She smiled, and for once a question about my plans did not turn into a discussion of whether I could manage them.

In the glass case were plain silver studs.

I bought a pair and put one in my left ear.

The other went into the small box for later.

The old earring stayed at home.