At the end of the day, Nadine introduced me to a woman named Farah, who managed payroll for a small landscaping company.

She asked whether I could help prepare her volunteers’ attendance records during the busy season.

I told her I had a full-time job but might be able to contribute a few hours if we set reasonable expectations.

We exchanged numbers.

I drove home with a paper plate holding two slices of lemon cake and a feeling I hadn’t experienced since I was young: I had more possibilities than obligations.

Another evening I found a message Roger had sent to our old family email address.