Jim, the idiot, had chosen to stay until the bitter end and die a painful death. She'd been cross with him about it, and then he had dropped the other shoe, the fact that he and John had slept together. It had been an intense conversation between them that day.

Mary would have picked the easy way out too. She picked the easiest way out by not even going.

"He is," Mary replies with a sigh. The kettle is whistling and she takes it off of the flame. "How do you usually like your tea?"