My mother smoothed the lapels of her cream blazer before the waiter had finished filling our water glasses.

“Derek’s new downtown lease is five thousand eight hundred dollars a month,” Eleanor said, glancing at the leather menu.

“A proper address is essential if corporate clients are going to take his consulting firm seriously.”

“It has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river,” Derek said.

He tapped his right foot rapidly on the carpet under the table.

“Mom took care of the security deposit yesterday.”

I sat up straighter against the high back of the wooden dining chair.