Page 49 of By the Letter

Once everything was put away, I joined her on her alarmingly small couch. It looked like it had been made in a different era when people were smaller. I wasn’t sure it would hold me up.

“Did you pick this out?” I asked as the sofa creaked under me.

“I did. It didn’t make that sound when I sat on it.”

Raising my brows, I looked her up and down. “I’m more than double your size. My brothers are too. Put two of us on this thing and we’ll make matchsticks out of it. We’re going to have to upgrade to something sturdier.”

“Your brothers are going to be sitting on my couch?”

“You don’t know them yet, but we’re tight, and they’re going to be excited to be uncles. So, yes, they will be sitting on your couch when Beanie’s here because they’ll want to be with him too.”

Her eyes widened with alarm as she glanced at her doll-size furniture. “I didn’t think of that. I don’t have family. It didn’t occur to me that your family…okay…well, I guess I’ll find something to accommodate a crew of giants.”

I huffed a laugh. “Good idea. I’d offer to buy it, but I don’t think you’ll accept.”

“You’re right. I won’t.”

I grinned. “Glad we understand each other.” However, I had every intention of leaving here tonight and buying a bed for the guest room as well as a replacement sofa suitable for full-size people. She’d just have to accept it was what I needed to do.

“Now, we’re going to play a getting-to-know-you game. Where’s your wallet?”

Her brow crinkled. “Um…in my purse, which is in the closet.”

I hopped up as gingerly as possible and grabbed her purse out of the hall closet. Returning, I set it on the cushion between us and withdrew my wallet from my back pocket.

“I looked up icebreaker ideas last night,” I explained. “One was trading wallets. You look through mine. I look through yours. What do you think?”

Her nose twitched. “I think you came prepared for this game while I’m being blindsided.”

“True, but I swear I didn’t remove or add anything to my wallet. And you can blindside me next time. Trade?”

One beat of hesitation, then she fished her wallet from her purse and tossed it into my lap. I handed her mine. This wasn’t the most exciting game, but I thought it might be the easiest for Shira.

I waited until she unfolded my wallet and peered inside before turning my attention to hers. It was a bifold, mustard-yellow leather, which already surprised me. Shira’s clothes were normally so muted while her wallet was bright. Maybe this was her true story.

Inside, there were two credit cards and a bank card. Membership cards to a gym, grocery store, and the library. The picture on her license gave me pause.

The motor vehicle worker must’ve liked Shira. I had never seen lighting that looked like it belonged on a photo shoot. Her dark hair tumbled over her shoulders and framed her face in soft waves. Her glossed lips were tipped in a smile that looked genuine. Her eyes were dancing with mirth.

I held out her license. “What were you laughing at?”

Shira looked up from my wallet. “Oh, um…Connie was hyping me up. She made me take my hair down and was telling me I should have been in a shampoo commercial. It was very sweet.”

“Connie? You remember her name?” She’d been issued the license two years ago.

“Of course,” she replied simply, holding out my license. “Why do you look like you’re about to bite off the head of the next person who speaks to you?”

“That’s what most people look like after spending any amount of time in the Department of Motor Vehicles. Most of us don’t have our own personal hype woman.”

Her cheeks flamed bright pink as she returned to sifting through the contents of my wallet. I let the subject be, curious what else I’d find.

She had thirty dollars in cash plus coins. A receipt from a convenience store where she bought a chocolate bar and a Sprite. I made a mental note of that. Then I landed on a worn, square photo of a man I didn’t recognize. Definitely not her late husband.

“Who’s this?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

“You don’t know? He’s not an old boyfriend?”

---