Dana considers this. “I don’t think we’re an affair. If we brought this out into real life, had the time to go grocery shopping together and plug into each other’s families, go through old photos, if we had all that, it would just be surround to a center we’ve already created together—that we’ve made ourselves known to each other. I’ve never done that before. I’ve always held back something. This is new to me. So of course I’d like to see more of you. And I’d like to not be worried that this takes something away from Jody. But I’m mostly just so happy that someone gets me, that I’ve been able to show myself and you’ve shown yourself to me. I think we already have that foundation.”

Later, when they get to thinking about food, Dana goes into her aunt’s kitchen and makes them burrata salads with heirloom tomatoes. She brought a stocked Igloo cooler.

“Oh yes,” Cate says. “Cream stuffed into cheese. Like the upscale version of the deep-fried butter at the Kane County Fair.”

“This kitchen is tragic,” Dana says as she goes through her aunt’s cabinets. “Her spices are seasoned salt and garlic powder. Look in her freezer—she’s got a bargain bucket of strawberry ice cream. Frosty Fun. And a summer camp–size package of hamburger. She didn’t even break it into smaller packets she might be able to use. It’s just a meat raft in there. I need to come over here more when she’s around.”

They are wearing just their shirts, butts sticking to the vinyl dinette chairs around the small, yellow Formica-topped table. Ciabatta crumbs drift down on Dana’s breasts as she tries to explain her life with Jody.

“I don’t know how it all happened so fast. We moved in together. We got two cats.”

“Salty and Pepper,” Cate says.

“I hate that I ever told you that. The thing is, you’d like her if you two met.”

“It doesn’t matter whether I’d like her. I’m never going to have that opportunity. I don’t even want to drag you out of your relationship with her. I feel bad enough seeing you behind her back. What I want is for you to have been free and clear when we met.”

“You can only see this from your side. From your perspective, things aren’t moving fast enough, but toward what? What makes you think if we had each other free and clear it would be better than what we have now? What if what I give you is the best I’ve ever given anyone? Why would a conventional relationship necessarily be better? Maybe we put so much value on this because of its limitations.” Then she gets very quiet, then takes Cate’s hand and leads her back upstairs to bed.