He found the thought oddly maudlin, and in light of his singular focus on physics, he realized from her absence that a whole other dimension of living had been absent from his life.
Not that I'll ever change, he told himself with a small chuckle. Turning, he groped in his pockets for his keys, having a key to his brother's gate from his last sabbatical.
Along with his keys he also found the wad of bills that he'd shoved at Thila when they'd first met. He counted it out, and realized that the amount was less one pardao than he'd given her.
The original amount that she'd said she'd charge.
Opening the gate as quietly as he could, Sharif pondered the immensity of her having given everything back to him. And the profound integrity she had. What incredible wealth, he thought in wonder.
* *
