Silence on the line.

“I’m not going to spend my energy being angry at you,” I went on, and I found, as I said it, that it was true.

“I’m just genuinely shocked that I mistook whatever this was for a real friendship, for over a decade.”

I ended the call.

And a few seconds later a text lit up my screen — from Zachary. Paisley urgently needs to know whether you like sweet cherries.

She insists it is a matter of serious medical importance.