After a long silence she said, “That sounded terrible when I heard you repeat it.” I said it had sounded terrible when she asked it.

At the door Claire apologized once more, this time without mentioning the budget.

I believed she meant it in that moment.

I did not yet know whether she would act differently.

I watched her car pull away and understood that a real apology is an opening, not the entire repair.

PART 13

We arranged a visit with the children two Saturdays later at the public library.

Ruth offered to come, but I told her I wanted to try on my own.