I unscrewed the black cap and set it carefully on the edge of the glass desk.

I smoothed down the heavy paper of the signature page.

I pressed the gold nib to the line and signed my name.

I capped the pen and put it back in my coat pocket.

Three days later, the morning of December 15 brought a hard frost to Oak Creek.

I drove Eleanor to the bank in silence.

The heater in our car rattled on its low setting.

The streets were quiet, and the oak trees stood completely bare against a gray winter sky.