but she was already gone. He sighed heavily and the banners up and down the street fluttered. The glass shard didn't hurt, really, but the sooner it was out, the sooner he could try to find a way back to being an inch shorter than her, which seemed like a wonderful place to be right now.

When she returned, John set his hand on the ground to stabilize it. Sotto voce he said, "I'm sorry, Susan."