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“Thanks, Joseph, I appreciate it,” I say, sighing and grabbing the stack of papers I cleared out h this, and I haven’t even started

“Is there anything else I can do to help you with the contracts?” he asks, patient and ready to work

“No At so to have to rip the Band-Aid off,” I say, opening up one file

“Give us soht intodown in the chair in front of my desk

“Can I get you anything to drink or eat?” Joseph asks He knows my cousin all too well

“The usual,” she says, and thanks his her back a Coke with a tray of snacks

I wait for Joseph to exit and close the doors to e Pandora’s presence

“Any particular reason you’re barging intorude to my assistant?” I ask, happy for another distraction and a reason to avoid the tedious work I hate to do

“She’s back,” she says, and lays a legal-size envelope on my desk

“She who?” I reach over and pick it up, turning it over in my hands It’s blank on the outside, but it’s heavy “What is this?”

“It’s Kory She’s back in the city She hther mom, but she’s taken a job in Manhattan You know heron the Lower East Side Crazy, right? Must be rent controlled”