“I have to get back,” I said.

“Keep pushing those papers.”

I left him with his untouched coffee.

At home, Clara had returned from her prenatal class and was sorting the mail in the study.

A cream envelope lay open beside her, its return address identifying a commercial real estate law firm.

“Read this with me,” she said.

I sat down.

The first page was a formal default notice concerning the company that held the family’s commercial properties.