she peered out at the men in their uniforms . if the gas had been on all night , they would have smelled it this morning . you being in my room and all . '' lea gave them a shy wave of her hand . i open the door to find a young woman standing on my front porch . `` just one thing , but i 'm working on that . '' he tore the letter to shreds and threw it in the wastebasket . she fixed herself leftovers and sat at the center island flipping through mail . 