Chapter 34. Before Morning

Diana finished the article at her own kitchen table on Wednesday, wearing old trousers and one of Gabriel's shirts.

She had taken it from the chair in his bedroom and told him she was borrowing it. He'd looked pleased enough that she nearly took another.

She'd arranged a half day off with Helena and spent most of it arguing with the ending. It was a relief to use her own time for something she wanted, after so many days lost to other people's decisions.

The final paragraph had resisted her for an hour. Then she deleted most of it and discovered that the sentence she'd been trying to improve already said what she meant.

She sent the file before she could change her mind.

For several minutes, she sat with her hands in her lap. There were dishes in the sink. Someone upstairs was vacuuming with more enthusiasm than skill. Nothing in the apartment looked different because she had finally finished something she wanted to write.