Thursday he didn't mention the blanket.

He was awake when she got up, at his desk with his coffee, her tea already on her side, and he said morning and she said morning and she got her things for her lecture and went out and came back at noon to find the blanket folded neatly on the end of her bed and nothing said about it.

She sat at her desk.

She looked at the blanket.

She looked at his empty chair.

She opened her laptop and submitted the essay and felt it go and felt the week release from her shoulders and sat for a moment in the quiet...