That’s not an answer either.

She sighed, the sigh she used to signal that I was being difficult, and said, we’ll talk another time.

When.

After the birthday.

The birthday is over, I thought, but I did not say it, because the call had already ended before I could.

I set the phone down on the kitchen table and sat with it.

Two people.

The same question asked plainly of each of them.