She set her heavy black handbag on her lap and fiddled with the heavy silver clasp before shutting off the engine.

I opened the front passenger door, stepped out into the chilly air and walked around to open the back door for Sadie.

Darla got out on the driver’s side in a soft lavender wool coat with big silver buttons down the front.

She leaned against the driver’s side fender, hands folded over the leather strap of her handbag, while we waited for the crowd on the sidewalk to thin out.

“Rory drove out to my place yesterday after his shift,” Darla said, her voice slow and even.