“I know.”
When she finished the tea, she apologized again for my coming home to a mess.
“I’m glad I came home early,” I said.
“I would have been fine.”
“I know you would have managed. That is not the point.”
She looked at me.
“You do not have to manage everything alone anymore. You are allowed to need people.”
“It feels like weakness.”
“It isn’t weakness.”
“What is it, then?”
“It’s letting someone love you.”
She was quiet for a while.
“Your father always said I was terrible at that.”
“He was right.”
She smiled faintly.
“I’m trying.”
“I know.”
I stayed until she fell asleep, then went downstairs.
Gabriel was in the kitchen cleaning up some of the bottles.
“Sara, before you say anything, Danny called and wanted to come over. I didn’t know you were returning early.”
“I know.”
“I would have set things up differently if I knew.”
