Daniel laughed.
“That sounds like Dad.”
“He said people get into trouble because they keep loving the person their spouse used to be instead of noticing who they are becoming.”
I looked toward the apartment.
“I think families do that too.”
“You changed.”
“Yes.”
“So did we.”
“Yes.”
He took a breath.
“Will you ever live with us again?”
“No.”
The answer came easily.
His expression fell.
I reached across the table and touched his hand.
“That isn’t a punishment.”
“I know.”
“I need my own home.”
He nodded.
“And I think you need yours.”
We sat there quietly.
Then he smiled.
“Are you buying the townhouse?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“You’ve been thinking about it for a week.”
“At seventy-three, that counts as impulse buying.”
Three days later, I made an offer.
Not because Daniel wanted me to.
Not because Rebecca encouraged me.
Not because Linda declared the patio “criminally perfect.”
