"This usually isn't how dinner goes," I say, not looking at her directly.
Lindsay tilts her head, considering. "It was still nice."
I nod once, acknowledging the point.
Nice isn't a word I use often. Nice isn't measurable. Nice doesn't translate into quarterly objectives or risk mitigation strategies.
But I heard Henry talk more in twenty minutes than he has in the past month combined.
That is measurable.
"You're good with him," I say finally.
Lindsay shrugs, like this isn't a skill she's cultivated. "I just asked questions."
"I ask questions."
"You ask if things are fine," she corrects gently. "That's different."
The observation hits cleanly, without malice. That makes it harder to dismiss.
She's not criticizing. She's clarifying.
I lean back in my chair, processing. "What's the difference?"
I want to understand it.
Lindsay sits down across from me, folding the dish towel carefully. "Your questions are diagnostic. You're checking for problems. Mine are just… curious."
“Curiosity without function,” I say slowly.
Testing whether I believe it.
"Curiosity is the function," she replies. "Henry knows you care if something's wrong. But he doesn't know if you care about Jenny."
I feel the words settle uncomfortably. "I care about his well-being."
"I know," Lindsay says. "But does he?"
The question stays with me after Lindsay leaves the table.
I move into my office, door open—old habit from when I needed to hear if Henry called for me. I sit at my desk, laptop closed, staring at nothing in particular.
Does he know I care?
I've built my entire life around demonstrating care through action. Provision. Safety. Opportunity. Structure that protects him from chaos. I've given Henry everything I didn't have growing up.
But I've never asked him who he sits next to at lunch.
My phone buzzes again. Tessa.
Just following up. Let me know if you need support navigating the transition.
I stare at the message longer than necessary.
Support navigating the transition. As if this marriage is a project phase. As if Lindsay is a deliverable.
I type back.Noted. Everything is stable.
