When David offered to drive me home, I shook my head and smiled, pulling my dark wool coat around my shoulders.

“It’s only four blocks,” I said.

“The walking does my legs good.”

At seven o’clock, I walked back into my apartment and turned the deadbolt.

I took my dark blue wool cardigan from the hall closet and slid my arms into the soft sleeves.

The horn buttons felt warm and smooth under my thumbs as I buttoned the sweater from the bottom to my neck.

I unlocked the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the narrow fourth-floor balcony.