The Empty Bed
And then I went back out to the front and a woman was mopping the floor by the doors.
I knew her immediately. I want to say that because I’ve thought about whether I’d have recognised her if I hadn’t been half looking, and the answer is yes.
She’s smaller and her hair is white now and she was wearing a shelter volunteer polo shirt with the collar turned up, and she was mopping, and she looked up.
My grandmother said, “Oh.”
Neither of us said anything for a bit. Then she said, “You’re tall.”
I said, “I’m fifteen.”