We rebuilt slowly, Marcus and I, the way you rebuild anything that is meant to last — brick by careful brick, with no theatrics.

He stayed for dinner one night, and then came back the next weekend for a pediatric checkup, and then for the twins’ first birthday, and then to sit up with me through a midnight fever that terrified us both until dawn.

We were friends again long before we were anything more, and we let ourselves become more only once the friendship was solid enough to hold it.

There was no sweeping declaration.