The thin murmurs of ranch life began in the dark with a blast from rooster lungs. Holly gave him his first yoga lesson, with poses and stretches to ease his back. Afterwards, she sliced bananas and strawberries with orange wedges and brought them to the table. When she offered the fruit, he took her hand in his, kissed her fingers, and marveled at the perfect whiteness of the nails, almond shaped, shiny and thin at the tips. She shivered and touched his face. Then she smiled and said, “We cremated my brother. What did you do?”
It took him a minute to shift gears. She had a way of coming from unexpected places. “I’d thought about that…it met with too much resistance. He’s buried not too far from here. I’m glad. It gives me a place to go.”
“Would you take me there? I’d like to see it.”
“Would you?”