I laid the envelope next to the savings bond and pulled the lamp in closer.

The bond paper had a watermark.

I traced Arvid’s A with my fingertip.

Then I traced my own.

Then I picked up a pencil and wrote the word lease in the margin.

A car went by out on the road, its headlights sweeping across the cupboard.

I got up and went to lock the porch door.

When I came back, the lamp was still lit and the papers were still spread out.