All by herself.



Somebody painted the palm trunks white, the way they do down here, so the whole property comes at you in one color. White house, white steps, white trees, and green over the top of all of it.

She has the run of the place. Up against the wall, under the window, around the back, and then she starts climbing, because the trunks lean just enough to make it look easy. Nobody tells her to stop.

One pink suit is the only thing here that isn't the house or the garden. It's a good afternoon, she knows it, and she isn't hiding it.