Page 27 of Hunger

"Did you know the last guard? Craig?"

I freeze halfway through wiping the counter. "A little."

"Did he say anything to you? About leaving?"

"No."

She nods. "Doesn't surprise me. The guy ghosted his apartment too. Left his clothes, left his TV. Wife got tired of waiting and packed it all up last weekend." Diane sips her coffee again and grimaces again. "Cops don't think much of it. Apparently he'd been talking about going to Vegas." She shrugs. "Some men just leave."

"Some do."

She nods again. She lifts the coffee in a brief toast and walks back to the food court entrance to continue her patrol. I watch her go. I wipe the counter that I've just finished wiping.

Tammy slides up beside me. "Drama."

"Yeah."

"He had a wife?"

"Apparently."

"Huh." Tammy shakes her head. "I knew he was a creep. I didn't know he was that kind of creep."

We close at nine. The lot is dark and crusted with old snow, and the Granada starts. I sit in it with my hands on the wheel for a moment before I pull out, listening to the engine settle.

I drive home through the same neighborhood and the same streets, park in my usual spot, and climb the cold stairs to the second floor. The phone is ringing as I let myself in.

It's nine-forty. She always calls about now. I drop my bag on the counter and pick up the receiver on the third ring.

"Hello."

"???."

"Hi, Umma."

"Did you eat?"

"I ate at work."

"What did you eat?"

"A burger."

"That isn't eating. That's fuel."

"Umma. It was food."

"I made galbi tonight."She's doing the dishes again. I can hear the water."I always make too much. I can't help it. Yourfather will take some to work tomorrow but there's still half a tray in the fridge."

"Save me some."

The pause on the other end of the line is sudden.

"What?"

"Save me some. I'll come get it sometime this week."

"Jenny."Her voice has changed. The professional softness she uses on me has fallen away. There's something raw in it."You'll come?"