That night, Coles dreamed of the river. He waded in, and the water was sweet. Cubes floated past him like ice floes. He tried to catch one, but it melted on his palm. When he woke, his hand was clenched into a fist.
Eleanor found him at 6 p.m., still staring. sugar cubes coles
“You didn’t take it,” she said.
The doctor said it was his heart. Eleanor said nothing. She cleaned the desk, washed the cup, and threw away the sugar bowl. That night, Coles dreamed of the river
On the seventh Tuesday, Coles didn’t come downstairs. Eleanor found him at his desk, hands folded, eyes closed. The sugar cubes were gone. In their place was a single, perfect circle of moisture on the leather blotter—a halo that had already begun to dry. He tried to catch one, but it melted on his palm
Use slowly.