But regret was a private feeling I couldn’t verify, and whatever she felt had not yet become reliable action.

I stopped searching for evidence that she was unhappy.

It was consuming time that belonged to Katie and Chloe.

When a clinical collaborator finally agreed to support formal evaluation of our revised components, we celebrated with takeout in the office.

Priya tapped a stack of test reports and said, “The paperwork is the victory today.” The twins, who had been promised cupcakes, did not care about the paperwork.

They cared about the icing.