I sat with that for a moment.
“That’s a start,” I said.
“Can we talk when I get home? Really talk. Maybe with someone to help us — a counselor or something.”
“Yes,” I said. “I’d be open to that.”
We said goodnight. I sat on the back porch for a while after we hung up, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood — a dog somewhere, a car starting a few houses down, the specific quiet of a weeknight suburban evening. It wasn’t the sound of the ocean. It was fine.
## What Elaine Said
Elaine called me on the Friday. The day before they came home.
I almost didn’t answer. But she had been on my mind, and I thought — I don’t know exactly what I thought. That the conversation was worth having.
“I wanted to call before we came home,” she said. “Nathan doesn’t know I’m calling.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve been — I’ve been thinking this week. About what you said. About the pattern.”
“I see.”
“I know I’ve leaned on you both too much. Since Gerald.” She stopped. “I know I’ve leaned on Nathan. I’ve told myself it was fine because he offered. But — I think I knew it wasn’t always just offering.”
This was more direct than I had expected from her. I took a breath.
“Elaine, I’m not angry at you for needing support after losing Gerald. What you went through was terrible.”
“But I’ve made it your problem,” she said.
“Some of that is Nathan’s pattern too,” I said carefully. “You didn’t manufacture his choices. He made them.”