Bobby's Arc

Chapter 2 of 8

The phone rings twice before someone picks up. Bobby keeps her eyes on the building while she waits, her free hand still pressed against the glass. A voice comes through the line, asking what she needs. She starts to explain about the space, about the permits, but the words come out slower than she planned. The county worker puts her on hold. Bobby steps back from the building and walks toward the old storage shed nearby, the one with reed walls that smell like cut grass. She leans against it, phone pressed to her ear, and that's when she sees him. Across the street, a man sits on the curb with his head down, shoulders curved inward. His hands are open on his knees, palms up, like he's already let go of whatever he was holding. She knows that posture. The stillness before the decision. The county voice returns, saying someone will call back tomorrow with next steps. Bobby ends the call without answering. She's already crossing the street, her own question about permits left hanging behind her. The man looks up as she approaches, and she sees it in his eyes — he hasn't decided yet. That means she still has time.