Status Updates From The Missing Girl

43

It was one of those spring mornings in March; the sky between the buildings was bright and blue
and the city air, warmed by motors and a million breaths, had a freshness and a sense of
excitement that can come only from a breeze starting somewhere in the country, far away, and
moving into the city while everyone is asleep, to freshen the air for morning.

He seemed to lose himself in contemplation of the scenery beyond the train window, but secretly
he was wishing direly that the woman would suddenly discover she had forgotten her suitcase or
find out she had no ticket or remember that she had left the bathtub running at home – anything,
to get her off the train at the first station, and out of Joe’s way.
‘

Betsy stood alone in the cemetery by the grave. Although she did not cry over her lost girl, Old
Jane touched her eyes occasionally with a plain white handkerchief, since she had come up from
New York particularly for the services.