“unexpectedly at the home of the man she’s dating.”
He closed his eyes.
“That wasn’t said correctly.”
” Absolutely. “
He went down the ramp.
Then he noticed where I was looking.
The yellow paint.
His shoulders slumped.
“Oh.”
“Yes,” I said. “Oh.”
For perhaps the first time since I had known him, Wendell seemed unable to find a single useful word.
I decided not to rescue him.
During my years as a nurse, I learned that silence can be surprisingly effective. People hate a vacuum. Give them enough of it, and they’ll eventually fill it with truth.
Wendell lasted twelve seconds.
“I can explain.”
“For three months you’ve been telling me that your house isn’t ready to receive visitors.”
” No. “
“It has a front door, doesn’t it?”
“Technically.”
“A roof?”
“Above all.”
I raised an eyebrow.
He sighed.
“Yes. There is a roof.”
“And I suppose there
