y arrived like

r two days, a caricat

a strained cheerf

?" He'd kiss my forehead

a breakthrough in battery tech.

ctor in a poor

his stranger in

y, he came into the bedroom, al

e crisis with the European laun

ittered awa

ght,

o, so sorry. We'll celebrate properly wh

ady booked a courier. Your gift should ar

't meet

to. I knew wher

With

eep you," I sai

thing – relief? –

but I turned my head. H

he airport," he said,

The front door clicked sh

he bed, the silence of

ye

tiny box in Mountain View, filled

us energy. He'd sketch car designs on na

with my meager savings fro

ccident, years ago. He'd held my hand in the

f, said he should

d that

he neve

A message from

glass of champagne. In the background, th

isely, don't you think? B

ll be incommunicado for a bit. Very important mee

ain was a cold, har

as the systematic dismantling of our shar

t left me. He