“We can really,” I said.

“We’ll see the elephants.

The big ones you like.”

“And the penguins.”

“And the penguins.”

She finished her popsicle and ran inside to find her stuffed giraffe — the ridiculous one Sarah had sent when she was born, still her favorite after five years — and for a moment Jim and I sat on the step in the blue evening quiet.

“Thank you,” he said.

He didn’t look at me when he said it; he looked out at the yard, at the little white fence Lily and I had painted.