“Penny had now reached the agent. She meowed. He didn’t look down. She meowed again. He said hi, but nothing more. He must not have children, Jess thought. Then, channeling David, she amended: He’s probably had a long day.”

When I was five, I stole five dollars from your bedside table, but I felt too guilty to spend it. When we went through the house, I took your favorite wallet and put the five dollars in it. I went to the bank to get pennies because you always had pennies in your wallet. Having…