We hadn’t seen him since Marian’s funeral.
And now he was standing beside my husband holding a bright green lunchbox decorated with cartoon dinosaurs.
Whatever suspicions I’d been forming about an affair disappeared.
But the new mystery was almost as confusing.
Why would Eliam secretly take a week off work to spend time with our former neighbor?
I watched them settle at an outdoor table.
Eliam opened his laptop.
Frank took a collection of cards from a folder.
From where I sat, I couldn’t hear their conversation.
But I could see Frank examining one card and pointing toward something written on it.
Eliam shook his head gently.
Frank tried again.
Another shake.
The older man seemed increasingly frustrated.
But Eliam didn’t reach over and give him the answer.
He simply sat there.
Waiting.
Finally, Frank pointed to something else.
Eliam smiled.
Frank rolled his eyes, and they both appeared to laugh.
