He pulled the heavy door open and leaned in.

I watched him lay a folded slip of blue paper on the center console, right between the empty cup holders.

He shut the passenger door and came around the hood to stand by me.

“That check’s made out to you,” Thomas said.

“Thank you,” I said.

“It really does help us.”

“You ought to deposit it this afternoon,” he said.

“Get those bills paid off right away.