Thetrain pulled into Leeds Station as a text blipped on my phone. It was frommy office telling me the buyer I was to meet at the Queens Hotel, right b...the station had had a family bereavement and had left a message on theoffice answering machine cancelling the meeting. With late opening afterNew Year, they had just picked it up."Shit, shit shit," I thought. "I suppose it's straight back to London."I popped into a MacDonalds to have a late breakfast and to gather mythoughts when I little. Before I unlocked the car I pulled out apack of cigarettes, lit one, and inhaled calmly andpatiently. The warm toxic smoke snaked down my throatinto my lungs and warmed my chest. As I exhaled I could feel the dispersing heat of mybreath into the colder night air against my lips. Icouldn’t help but grin as I catered to myself in thatmoment of post-pleasure. I turned and saw a look ofbereavement on my wife’s face with modest puppy dogeyes. I handed her the cigarette and she began a. We hugged for just a moment longer than two old friends, andI heard Gran clear her throat."Come in and tell us what you've been up to, Michael," said Gran. Wewent into the kitchen and had coffee (very grown up!) while Michael toldGran all about school and going out for football, and taking thedriver's test. All through our conversation, I kept looking at Michael,amazed at how grown up he looked. I had never given much thought toboys, but he looked...cute. He kept stealing glances at me, my. Wanting Kelly to stay but not knowing what to do, she just smiled and waved goodbye and walked into her little apartment. The smell of sugar cookies still filled her living room and an idea hit her. She grabbed the best plate she had in her kitchen and slid the cookies onto it before wrapping it up in Christmas plastic wrap and running out the door. “Kelly!” she yelled as she ran after her. She had to yell after her several times before Kelly stopped and turned around with a confused look on.