Cardboard boxes stood where reception chairs used to be.

The green ledger lay on the table.

For a moment, I saw it landing beside our fruit bowl again.

Clara pulled out her chair and sat down without waiting for someone to assign her a place.

The receiver’s representative reviewed the papers with her counsel present.

Clara asked where the remaining money would go.

He described the creditor claims and the handling of restitution obligations under the relevant orders.

He did not pretend the $140,000 belonged to every person in the room or that one signature could decide the priority of all claims.