She looked at me, and we did not need to explain further.

A useful act could remain useful.

The shelves were straight.

The cupboard had closed properly.

Remembering that did not make the manipulation imaginary or the person less responsible.

For a long time, I had wanted proof that none of the good moments had been real.

I thought that would let me stop missing the life I had imagined we were building.

Instead, I learned that a memory did not need to be entirely false to be unsafe to build a future on.