“A criminal trial would have kept that woman in Lily’s life for another two years of endless court dates.”

We spent the next four hours rolling thick blue paint over the dull walls of Paul’s old room.

The sharp smell of fresh latex finally covered the faint, stale smell of his old paper files.

By two o’clock, the room was empty of Paul and completely blue.

The eleven-year-old Buick hesitated twice shifting gears on the drive back from the grocery store.

Lily carried the two heavy paper bags in through the front door.