Helen broke one of the biscuits and pushed half toward me.

“I wasn’t trying to interfere that evening,” she said.

“But I’d watched Meredith pack away her dreams in little boxes.

I couldn’t bear hearing her say she loved you and thought the kindest thing was to disappear.”

“I’m grateful you spoke.”

“Then prove it by speaking to her yourself.

Don’t appoint me the translator for your marriage.”

I promised I would not.