We talked about nothing important at first.

A contractor was repairing a fence near Daniel’s office.

Ruth had adopted a stubborn little dog.

Emma was working on a painting of a lighthouse.

Then Daniel asked why I had never told him how much help I’d given over the years.

I said I had told him every time.

The problem was that we had both pretended each request was separate.

“I didn’t make us stop and look at the whole thing,” I said.