I opened the cover of the first set and checked that the blue ink notary seal showed clearly on page four beside the credit union transfer history.

“That’ll be forty-two dollars,” the clerk said.

I opened my purse, took out my wallet, and counted out two twenty-dollar bills and two singles.

That cash used up the last of the money I had pulled from our checking account for household expenses that week.

“Do you need a receipt for your taxes?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Tuck it inside the front cover of the first set.”

I gathered up the three heavy plastic booklets and carried them out to my car under a gray winter sky.