He saw the table set for five.
He said: are people coming?
I said: yes.
He said: who?
I said: Judith. And Patricia Greene.
He said: Judith I know. Who is Patricia?
I said: Patricia handled our house closing.
He said: our real estate attorney?
I said: yes.
He said: why is she coming to dinner?
I said: we have some things to discuss.
He said: about the house?
I said: about the house.
He said nothing else.
Judith arrived first.
She came in and hugged my mother and sat at the table beside her and talked about the garden, which she had opinions about, and the conversation was the easy conversation of people who know each other well and who have found a subject that is comfortable and safe.
