“Look at the side pouch for a water bottle.”

Lily reached into the second box and took out a bright purple backpack with silver buckles.

“Look at the front clip,” Lily said.

“My jam jar fits right inside the little flap.”

I sat down on the bottom stair and watched them slip their arms through the new straps.

I’d paid for both bags with the two-hundred-dollar advance check Paul Vance cut me for my first week of district work.

“Try them on over top of your coats,” I said.