I won’t ask our sons to attend a dinner so his clients feel comfortable.”

Carla hung up without saying goodbye.

I wrote a short note of the conversation for my records, then made myself a cup of tea.

I had expected the encounter at the competition to bring strange new people into our lives.

I had not expected the greatest pressure to come from adults who wanted the appearance of reconciliation before the work had begun.

When Brian called later that day, I told him what Carla had asked.