Chicago, 1994. Snow ticks against the diner window. Mara wraps her cold hands around a coffee that went cold an hour ago and watches Theo butter the same piece of toast for the third time. They are twenty-three. For a whole year they've been not-quite-together, a thing made of late buses and almosts. Outside, his bus pulls up to the curb. Theo puts the knife down and looks at her like he wants to say something.

Mara speaks first. "Don't get on it," she says. The words just fall out. Theo freezes, toast in hand. Through the glass, the bus driver checks his mirror. "Stay. Just tonight. We always run out of time, and I'm so tired of running out." Theo sets the toast down slowly.

Theo sits back down. "Okay," he says. "I'll stay." Then, after a breath: "But I'm moving to Seattle in three weeks, Mara. My brother got me a job. I was going to tell you tonight." The diner suddenly feels very small. Mara stares at him.

"Don't go," Mara says. "Tell your brother no. Stay here, with me." Theo rubs his face a long moment, then reaches across and takes her buttery hand. "Okay," he says. "I'll call him in the morning. I'm done leaving you." Mara laughs, shaky and relieved.