It was a usual morning for an ordinary day. I woke up to the pretty light coming into my bedroom windows. They overlooked a little park with big old trees. In the mornings people walked their dogs and children played in the park. Then the retired people and their small dogs and canes came in the early afternoon, or just with canes if they didn't have a dog. In the late afternoons, teenagers hung out in the park. The late...

I wake up, and something is wrong. I'm on the wrong side of the bed. I sit up and see the dent in the other pillow, the covers pulled up. Ian. Holy mother of god, I remember all of Ian, and he is not in the bed. I listen, but everything is silent. I am alone in the flat. The clock says it's 7:30. The sky is overcast. I get out of bed and find my robe. My clothes from the night before are folded on the armchair. Except for...

Ian pulls into the garage of his house and we go in through the back door into the kitchen. We have the lightning tour. Everything is tidy as I suspected it would be, and clean. He tells me he has a husband and wife whip through every two weeks who make things spotless whether they want to be spotless or not. After the tour, I chop tomatoes and Ian grates some cheeses and soon we are having some very good omelets and sipp...

Even though it is Saturday, we are up early, and the cafe is not packed with people yet. Ian opens the door for me, and I walk up to the counter. Ian is a small distance behind me as he holds the door for a woman with a child. Claire is working the till and taking orders today. "Hello, Annie," she says. "Latte and chocolate croissant?" "Yes, please," I say. "And what will you have?" I ask Ian when he has caught up with me...