I had not chosen to pretend trust was fully restored.

Claire understood that more clearly after the mediation than she had before the wedding.

Understanding would matter only if it changed the next decision.

In the following days, we worked through small ones.

She forwarded invoices rather than saying she had handled them.

I told her when I covered a cancellation fee instead of storing the receipt where only I could find it.

We agreed on what further legal work we authorized and where the funds would come from.