He had work.
A daughter.
A life.
One Saturday morning, Clare entered his garage and found him beneath an old motorcycle.
Of course.
Only his boots visible.
She leaned against the workbench.
“Do you ever fix objects that are financially rational?”
His voice came from beneath the frame.
“No.”
“Good.”
He slid out.
Grease on his face.
Exactly like the first day.
Clare smiled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That expression means something.”
She crouched carefully.
“You ruined my list.”
Caleb wiped his hands.
“I never saw the list.”
“You were not supposed to.”
“How bad did I score?”
“Appallingly.”
He laughed.
Clare looked around.
The garage door stood open.
Late-afternoon light.
Ellie, now twelve, rode a bicycle outside with friends.
Caleb sat beside Clare on the concrete.
“Do you miss it?”
“What?”
“The list.”
She thought.
“Sometimes.”
He looked surprised.
Clare continued:
“It felt safe.”
“That doesn’t mean it was useless.”
She looked over.
He explained:
“Standards aren’t the problem.”
“Walls pretending to be standards are.”
Clare smiled.
“You have become annoyingly philosophical.”
“Machines teach patience.”
“No. Ellie does.”
“Mostly Ellie.”
A car pulled into the driveway.
Denise stepped out.
Clare stared.
“What is she doing here?”
Caleb looked guilty.
Denise opened the trunk.
Inside:
Champagne.
Flowers.
A bakery box.
Clare narrowed her eyes.
“Caleb.”
He stood.
Suddenly nervous.
Clare’s heart began racing.
“No.”
Caleb froze.
“What?”
She covered her mouth.
“I mean—no, I know what this is.”
Denise shouted from the driveway:
“She guessed! Do it faster!”
Caleb closed his eyes.
“I told you not to come early.”
“I’m efficient.”
Clare laughed.
Caleb looked at her.
Then toward Ellie, who had stopped riding and now stood by the mailbox.
Apparently everyone knew except Clare.
That irritated her.
Caleb reached into his pocket.
Clare’s eyes filled.
He did not kneel.
Not immediately.
Instead:
“I need to say something first.”
Clare laughed through tears.
“You planned a speech?”
“Poorly.”
“That is on brand.”
He smiled.
Then became serious.
“When Anna died, I thought the rest of my life would be useful.”
“Not unhappy.”
“Just useful.”
“I had Ellie.”
“I had work.”
“I thought wanting anything else was greed.”
Clare’s tears fell.
Caleb continued:
“Then you walked into Harrow looking like you wanted to fire the entire building because the floor was dirty.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
Denise called:
“You absolutely did!”
Clare turned.
“Go away!”
Denise laughed.
Caleb took Clare’s hands.
“You were impossible.”
“You still are.”
“You made me angry.”
“You made me think.”