The Boundary

Delilah sent Ash a message before she could turn breakfast into another appointment she had prudently avoided.

Nine. The café. I can tell you about myself. Not about the people who hired me.

He answered, I’ll be there.

When she arrived, he was standing by the counter. He let her choose their table. She took the one they had used on Thursday, because she wanted to sit there without having to remember herself leaving it.

“I nearly didn’t send that,” she said.

“I nearly wrote you a very long message last night.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“You said you’d get in touch if you wanted to. I thought I should try doing what you’d asked.”

She took off her coat. He watched her lay it over the chair, and this time she knew he was watching. She liked that he did not immediately look away.

“You can still say things I…