“I’ll call Nancy at the branch today and get the card turned back on.”

He finished his black coffee in two slow swallows and got up to put his empty plate straight into the dishwasher.

“Eat your breakfast,” he said, nodding at my plate with an encouraging smile.

“I want to see you eating real food again.”

“Are you going in to the corporate office today?” I asked.

“I have to stop at the main branch at ten,” he said, taking his wool coat off the back of the hall chair.

“I’ll be back before noon.”