Paige sent me a photograph of a rabbit she had drawn badly in a painting class.

It had one ear much longer than the other and wore a tiny doctor’s coat.

The caption said: Chloe would insist it’s your portrait.

I set the phone down and laughed alone in my kitchen.

It was a good sound.

It didn’t need to mean anything more.

PART 20

The following spring I was offered two jobs.