“Tired,” I said.

“And better than I was.”

She nodded and put the bowl in the rack.

I was also sad.

I missed things that had been real.

Evan had once brought home three different cereals because Noah had changed his mind twice during a visit and Evan wanted to be ready the next time.

I remembered that without making it an excuse for the money or the way he had spoken to me.

A person could have bought cereal kindly and still owed an explanation for a transfer.