21. The return.

He waited.

Finally, she returned: the young woman with the lukewarm coffee, though now a different cup, still lukewarm. He looked at her.

She watched him cautiously, her eyes darting to the sleeping indigent near him. "I wondered if you'd still be here."

"I am still here."

She brought her cup to her lips again, hesitated, and then lowered it. "So, are you homeless or something?"

"I have no home."

She approached, sitting a full body's length away from him along the bench, still occasionally glancing at the vagrant. "You want some coffee or something?"