"It’s not the leak," he clarified. "It’s that we don't fight about it anymore. Remember the first year? We would have spent three hours debating the 'philosophy' of the repair."

"I was thinking about that leak in the pantry," Elias said, resting his hand on hers. Her skin was mapped with fine lines he’d grown to love; they were the archives of every laugh they’d shared.

"I was defensive," she admitted, squeezing his hand. "I wasn't used to someone staying through the mess."