"I can make walls talk." Janet rolled the dice and moved two brown stones across the backgammon board. She looked up at David's face. He looked at the board and pretended not to hear her.

Janet's eyes remained fixed on him. David grabbed a handful of cashews. He smiled. She gave him a puzzled look. He placed his fist before his mouth and coughed lightly, then looked at the clock that hung on the wall near her collection of antique masks.

"What do you mean, Janet?" David stretched his long legs and touched his foot against the opposite leg of the table.

She glanced at her bookshelves and then looked again at David. She smiled. "I am talking about the shadow."

"Shadow?"

"The dark side. I mean, we all have one."

"I don't"

"Sure you do. I mean, if I have one, then you have one." Janet picked up the dice and squeezed them in her hand.

"Let's finish this game and then we can talk about your shadows." He picked a bit of cashew off the board.

"David, would you like some coffee?" She rose from her chair.

"Do you have any of that Sumatra blend?"

"No, but I have Kona."

"Pure Kona?"

"Yes."

"May I have mine black?"