“Never hurts to wipe them again,” he said.

He rinsed out the sponge and put it back in the caddy.

He shut off the hot water and wiped the steel faucet with his thumb.

He dried his hands on a blue cotton dish towel hanging from the oven handle.

He always bought the very same brand of whole milk.

He always bought bananas that were still a little green.

The tension in the apartment gave way to a familiar household routine.