Not out of it, at least, which is something. I have told her about Landon, given that he’s still following me into Starbucks. I keep her updated when and where I’m going, and that’s about the extent of that topic of conversation.

I don’t tell Mum stories about chess because at her most supportive, she has exactly zero interest in the game. “Well, no, but that’s not about the clothing, that’s about the people.” “You sit out here in this weather?” Mum asks incredulously. It’s a Sunday afternoon, so none of the vets are there. The space heaters are gone, though, and the little generator they all plug in to. Probably so horny teens and twenty-somethings can’t crawl under and make use of privacy. The pavilion is still there, one side rolled up and lashed. We stop at the grassy island in the middle of the parking lot. “After we check and make sure we’re legally able to carry seeds into foreign countries.” “We’ll stock up on seeds for France.” On second thought. “If it’s made of fabric or plastic, it isn’t a plant.” She looks down at her heavy gloves and sighs. We’re both idiots.” She dances in place as we wait for the crosswalk to flash go, making me sway with her. “If I know better, why do I do this multiple times a week?” You know better, why didn’t you stop me?” “Remind me why I’m doing this?” she asks, voice muffled by her scarf. I wrap myself around Mum’s arm, leaning into her to give her whatever warmth I can share. I’m still layered enough to feel like matryoshka dolls, but it takes longer for the tip of my nose to go numb. I’ve gotten used to it, though, because of chess and the walks, and a few more explorations with my camera. It’s the kind of change you don’t actually notice, because cold is cold until it drops to freezing or climbs to chilly, so does it really matter where in the range it falls? But the numbers insist it really is getting warmer.īurying her face in the high collar of her coat until her eyes barely show, Mum swears the numbers are lying. The temperature isn’t so much warming as it is getting incrementally less cold.

The collector trilogy dot hutchison