of grief.

Years earlier, I had watched my own mother disappear in similar pieces.

“I’m sorry,” I said again.

Then Daniel looked down.

“The tea bags…”

I waited.

“I wasn’t thinking.”

He shook his head.

“That’s not an excuse.”

“No.”

“But I understand it differently now.”

He looked at me.

Then he mentioned the complaint.

“I know you filed it.”

“And you left me a note saying I should have talked to you.”

His face tightened slightly.

“I was angry when I wrote that.”

“I did talk to you.”

“I know.”

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“My mother had gotten worse that week.”

He sighed.

“I shouldn’t have written the note.”

We stood there awkwardly.

Then I said,

“I have some packages downstairs for you.”

He looked surprised.

“I can bring them up later, if that helps.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because the complaint was about tea