He didn’t look at me.

“Your plate is still in the sink,” I said.

“Is it.”

“Two days now.”

He smiled at that, easily, the way he used to when the truck broke down and he wanted me to laugh before I got sore about the bill.

“You always did keep a clean kitchen.”

I didn’t answer him.

He walked into the kitchen and opened the drawer by the stove where I keep the matches.