I stared at her name on the screen until it stopped ringing.

A minute later she left a message asking whether I would visit.

I did not listen to it immediately.

For years I had treated every conversation with her as an obligation that might unlock some hidden truth if I asked the right question.

Now the truth had arrived without her help, and I discovered I had no idea how to speak to her when I was not searching.

Tobias noticed my distraction over lunch.