“You are incredibly difficult to reach.”

He dropped the ledger beside the fruit bowl.

It landed hard and slid across the granite.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Clara said.

“I had my phone turned off last night.”

Arthur tapped his gold signet ring against the counter.

“Open it to page forty.

I brought a pen.”

I pushed back my sleeve.

It was barely seven on November 6.

“Arthur, would you like some coffee?”

He looked past me.

“Your brother Marcus needs this finalized today.

Sign the authorization line at the bottom.”