“I hear something, I’ll get back,” he said.

“If it was your boy, I’d—”

“That’s why I’m doing it. Gotta go.”

I ended the call, threw on my clothes, and cleaned up in the bathroom. It was eight thirty; I needed to catch a train to the city; but I was reluctant to leave and sat in the bay-window seat, watching the band of lead-gray water flow through the cold, white world until I heard Glenna’s voice and her footsteps on the stairs. She walked in talking on her cell and wearing a tartan flannel nightgown and sheepskin-lined slides.

“If Rachel’s fever’s gone already, it wasn’t the flu. If her fever comes back, you call me.… You’re welcome. Bye-bye.” Glenna put her phone on the desk. “Hi,” she said.

“Good morning.”

She sat next to me in the window seat. I wanted to kiss her, but suddenly felt shy about it.

Glenna said, “I tried to get you up to sleep downstairs, but you wouldn’t budge.”

“Tired.”

“Last night …” Glenna said, and glanced out the window.

“Yes, it was.”

We were quiet.

Glenna looked at me. “I feel terrible about Alex.”

“I know you do,” I said, deciding that I’d skip updating her. One of her hands was holding mine. I squeezed it and let it go.

“Glenna, I should’ve told you sooner. I didn’t want to burden—”

“It’s not a burden, Gordon.”

We gazed out at the snow. It was sparkling in the sunlight like ground glass.

Glenna said, “I have orange juice, coffee, bagels, muffins. You hungry?”

“No thanks. I have to check out of the Hyatt and get my car.”

“I’ve been thinking about that.”

“Thinking what?”

“I want to meet your sister.”

“You do?”

“I do. Take me with you to Boston.”

Her request caught me off guard, and before I could answer, she asked, “Elaine won’t mind, will she?”

“I think she’d like it.”

“How about you?”

The possibility of going off with Glenna seemed more fantasy than reality. But the idea of waiting for word about Alex without her was far too real, and I didn’t know if I could stand the emptiness.

I said, “I think I’d like it, too.”

“Think?” She punched me lightly on the arm.

“Can you get away?”

“I’m in a network of pediatricians, and we cover for each other. I can take a few days.”

“Elaine’s husband, Charlie, is a golf junkie, and there’s a dinner dance at their country club. Do you have a nice dress?”

“I have a gorgeous dress.”

The sun had disappeared, and the sky darkened to a dull steel-blue.

Touching my cheek, Glenna turned my face toward her. “They’re going to find Alex.”

“Promise?” I laughed at asking such an absurd question.

Glenna didn’t laugh or even smile, but put her arms around me, and I held on to her, running my hands over the flannel of her nightgown and burying my face in her hair. We stayed that way, holding each other, until Glenna said, “I’ve got to get ready. Keep me company.”