peace didn’t automatically repair anything.

One night he found me standing in the kitchen after work.

“I changed the utility accounts,” he said.

“They’re in my name now.”

“I also scheduled the HVAC service.”

“And bought groceries.”

I opened the refrigerator.

There were four cartons of eggs.

I stared at them.

Arthur sighed.

“I panicked.”

For the first time in weeks, I laughed.

He smiled cautiously.

That was not forgiveness either.

But it was something.

We started counseling.

Arthur learned that avoiding conflict was not neutrality.

Every time he refused