“Ava asked if her mother could drop by the barbecue to bring a potato salad,” Daniel said.

He kept his eyes on the television screen.

“I told her it was fine,” he said.

I picked up our empty tea mugs from the table.

“We have fourteen guests coming,” I said.

“One more won’t hurt.”

I set the cups on the kitchen counter and turned off the living room lamps.

The next morning at nine o’clock, I sat at my office desk reviewing a vendor contract.