The transfer, Marcus said, tapping the envelope with his pencil, is more than all three together.

I knew the number.

I had always known the number.

But knowing a number and seeing it laid down in a row beside the electric bill and a pair of thirty-nine dollar shoes are two different kinds of knowing, and the second kind is the one that is hard to walk back.

Seeing it there made it very difficult to go on calling it a favor.

Have you ever asked them to take less, he said, which was the same question as before, and I gave the same answer, no, and when he asked why not I said, because it was supposed to be temporary.