Daniel insisted he had believed we were building something together. I told him that I had been doing most of the building, and that I had once been happy to do it. The problem was that he had moved into something I created without ever asking what it had cost or who had paid for it. I admitted that I had allowed the arrangement to continue, but that did not mean I had to continue accepting it. He stood silently in the doorway for several minutes. Eventually, he left.
The following months were quieter than I expected. Clare helped me handle the remaining practical matters, while I navigated mutual friendships and professional circles with as much grace as possible. My mother stayed with me for two weeks in January. On her final evening, she admitted she had wanted to say something about Daniel for years but feared I would think she did not trust my judgment. I told her my judgment had needed recalibrating. She laughed and said it had done so beautifully.
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