I canceled two unnecessary trips and hired an operations director to share some responsibilities.

My employees were relieved.

One told me she’d been waiting for me to stop answering emails at three in the morning.

Mariana noticed the change but did not congratulate me.

She had seen temporary improvements before.

One Tuesday she asked me to accompany her to meet her friend Elise for dinner.

I’d met Elise several times but barely knew her.

She owned the ceramics studio where Mariana had spent her Saturdays before the household tensions grew worse.