Julian's breath caught. Neither moved. Then his radio crackled with a service call and the fragile opening closed. I have to go, he said. Camille nodded, furious with herself for expecting anything else.
Two nights later, she left the office early for a children's hospital gala. She wore a black gown and carried none of the armor she usually brought into boardrooms. When the elevator opened into the quiet lobby, Julian was coiling cable beside the security desk. He looked up and the exhaustion in his face softened into a grin. Who's the lucky man tonight?
It was the sort of harmless question he had asked before, but Camille was tired of hiding behind harmless things. I was hoping it would be you. Julian froze. The security guard found sudden interest in his monitor. Camille's car waited outside.
For 3 seconds, the distance between the top floor and the lobby disappeared. Julian opened his mouth, but her phone rang. "The driver." Fear rushed in where courage had been. "I'm late," she said, though neither of them believed that was why she left.
In the car, Camille stared at the tower, shrinking behind her, and hated that she had given him a truth without staying long enough to hear his answer. At home, Julian sat on Sophie head while she brushed her teeth, replaying the moment until every possible response sounded wrong. Sophie appeared in the doorway with toothpaste foam at the corner of her mouth. You look weird. Thank you.
Did something happen? Julian rubbed both hands over his face. Something happened. Sophie grinned. The tall lady likes you.
Go finish brushing. You like her, too. Sophie, that means yes. She disappeared into the bathroom, humming. Julian looked at the photograph on the dresser.
Rachel laughing in sunlight. Sophie as a baby against her shoulder. Grief had changed over six years. It no longer cut him every morning, but it remained part of the architecture of his life. Loadbearing and invisible.
Loving Camille would not betray Rachel. He knew that what frightened him was giving Gordon another way to reach Sophie. The following afternoon, Sophie delivered a drawing to Camille's office. Julian stood awkwardly beside her as Sophie unfolded it across the conference table. Meridian Tower rose in green and orange crayon.
Julian stood at the bottom. Camille stood near the top in a triangular blue dress. Sophie had drawn herself halfway between them, holding both their hands with arms impossibly long. "You made me very tall," Camille said. "You wear heels."
Sophie pointed to the three figures. "This part is not finished. What is missing? I do not know yet. Julian looked embarrassed.