20. The Call That Split the Afternoon

Sunlight. Panic. Her voice on the line.

It was a Saturday afternoon when I got the call.

The sun was streaming into my little apartment as I sat cradling my empty coffee mug. I had been marveling at the light beams and daydreaming about taking a short walk around the neighborhood. Taking a walk outside was a daydream, of course. At that point, I only left the house for work or squash. Existin…