she slumped over the round br table, which had belonged to br her mother, br br a cigarette between careless fingers, and br a chipped mug with cheap coffee in br the others. br br weak sunlight slunk through br cracked glass, projecting patterns of br another day. br br she stared, unfocused, out into the br world; dreaming as if still clinging to br the night. br br what would her mother say br about the rings on her table, but none br encircling fingers? br br she left the coffee grow cold, and br the cigarette burn down, daydreaming her br life away.