پانزده دقیقه بعد

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

“MAYBE HE COULD come over for a visit?” I’ve surprised myself by asking, but Carla’s not surprised at all. She doesn’t even pause from wiping away nonexistent dust from my bookshelf.

“Teenagers are the same all over. Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.” “Is that a no?” I ask.

She laughs at me.

TWO HOURS LATER

I TRY AGAIN. “It would only be for half an hour. He could get decontaminated like Mr. Waterman and then—” “Are you crazy?”

TEN MINUTES AFTER THAT “FIFTEEN MINUTES?”

“No.”