I kept the copies where I could find them and stopped carrying the whole file every time I went into another room.

Garrett and I never resumed the marriage.

Sometimes he spoke as though my refusal to return was a problem that more time would solve.

I answered through the agreed arrangements where necessary.

I did not enter another conversation about whether his worst sentence had been a misunderstanding.

He had told me what he valued when he thought only Harper existed.

His surprise at Owen did not make those words belong to someone else.