“Because you were being asked to make choices based on an answer he wasn’t consistently sharing.”

I looked at the email.

It did not mention pancakes.

It did not mention the green pencil or Dylan asking whether Elliott would stay after breakfast.

It was a short administrative inquiry, and I could see how somebody might call it prudent planning.

I also knew how directly I had asked him what starting over meant.

“He could have told me he still needed to explore leaving.”

“Yes.”