Grace explained that marital property questions would be determined under applicable law and the specific records, not by who could talk most loudly about sacrifice.

She asked me to assemble documents related to the purchase, improvements, and my work before and during the marriage.

It was painstaking and strangely comforting work.

Dates did not sneer at me.

Receipts did not call me emotional.

I found photographs of the first summer in the house.

Julian and I had painted Noah’s nursery a pale green.

We had argued about whether the bookshelf should stand beside the window.