Every new pill bottle made me wonder how much time she had left.
Still, Evie treated me better than I deserved.
Every appointment caught my attention.
***
One afternoon, Evie left new boots by the door. Another week, a heavy coat hung there too.
“I don’t need charity,” I said.
“Then call it household maintenance. I don’t like muddy floors.”
When I said I could buy my own coat, she only asked, “Can you?”
***
At our local diner, every waitress knew Evie. I hated that place because people loved her and questioned me.
One afternoon, she stirred sugar into her tea and said, “You get quiet when people are kind to me. Why?”
I looked up.
