―Richard?
―What’s that?
―I was just asking if… Were you…
―Just resting my eyes. Yes, I’ll have to consider it, Laura. I trust you will use the funding only with the best intentions, but the money is… To be perfectly honest given the debt ceiling debate not far behind or ahead it isn’t easy to give you a definite answer at the moment.
―Oh right, of course, like, I didn’t mean you needed to decide just now. Just a request, like, um. I hope things do work out though. It’s hard for everyone. I myself am getting kind of sick of, like, eating oatmeal twice a day, she laughed and looked away.
―…
―Anyway, yes, I’ll let you be. Probably a nice day to work out, keep that immune system going into flu season.
―I was planning to sit in the sauna.
―Oh, well, would you still like that coffee? I think it should still be pretty…
―That’s fine, just leave it here.
He was still staring through the thick, warm glass, leaning then, to better examine the plunging souls, when she looked over her shoulder and opened the door. One of a group of students kicked a soccer ball into her leg.