It meant that one part of the process was moving forward.

Connie poured three cups of tea.

We sat around the table without celebrating.

Finally, Miguel called to say the crews had finished a difficult job near Casa Grande without an incident.

His voice was cheerful, and he asked whether I wanted to see the photographs of the completed well.

I did.

For ten minutes we discussed pipe depth, pump testing, and a customer’s stubborn insistence on painting the equipment bright blue.

Work had never sounded so reassuring.