Page 143 of Wreckage and Rain

"Above the toaster."

"That's the third moon-horse-adjacent piece in the toaster gallery."

"Lucia is making a series."

"I respect a body of work."

I put the moon-horse on the wall above the toaster, next to last week's pancake-moon and the week before that'sshnake.The toaster gallery is the most important art collection in this apartment.

"Jake's flight gets in at four. I told him I'd pick him up at O'Hare."

"You're picking him up at O'Hare in this weather."

"He has driven through hurricanes for me."

"I'll go with you."

"Colt. You have a meeting at three thirty."

"I'll be in the car before three thirty. The meeting is on the phone. I can take it from the car."

He stands up. Comes around the table. Kisses my forehead.

"I'll drive. You navigate."

"O'Hare doesn't require navigation. There's one road in and one road out."

"You navigate the radio. You can pick the music."

"You're letting me pick the music."

"I'm taking my chances."

"You're going to regret this."

"I'm going to regret nothing."

***

Jake comes off the jetway in a Carhartt and a fishing cap that makes him look like he's been at sea for three days, a duffel bag in one hand and a tackle box in the other. There is nothing to fish for in Chicago in January. He brought the tackle box anyway.

Jake hugs me first. Hard. He has gotten taller since I saw him last month, or he's just standing straighter, or I've decided to perceive him taller because I love him.

"King."

"Holloway."

"You look good."

"You look like a man who took the cheapest flight he could find."

"I took the cheapest flight I could find. Tell me your husband isn't still taking calls in the car."

"He's taking one call in the car. Then we'll be done."

"Bennet. Get off the phone."

Colt holds up one finger from the driver's seat. Jake gets in the back with his tackle box. I get in the front. Colt finishes the call before we leave the cell-phone lot, which he plans for, because he plans for everything now.