"That's how summer always is." Except in Siberia, probably. It sucks, but being miserably sticky still beats wondering if you're going to lose toes from how cold it is.

(She's not going to lose toes. She's wearing thick socks and winter boots, and she has no idea how cold you have to get before your extremities are actually in danger. But it feels kind of terrible all the same.)

She takes her coffee cup and adds a little milk. (Sugar, it turns out, tastes so sweet it's almost revolting now.) "Think these houses have air conditioning?"