She called on Saturday morning.
Nora was at Margaret's for a few hours a regular arrangement now, easy and established, the kind of thing that had stopped requiring coordination and had become simply part of the week's shape.
Daniel was in his office. At the morning meeting, he'd been unable to move. He'd be back by noon.
Julia had the apartment to herself.
She made tea instead of coffee a Saturday thing, the slower pace of it.
Sat at the kitchen table.
And called her sister.
Her sister answered on the second ring with the immediate quality of someone who had been hoping she'd call.
"I was thinking about you this morning," her sister said.
"Good thoughts?" Julia said.
"Always," her sister said. "How are you?"
"Good," Julia said. "Actually good."
A pause.
"That's different fr
