He reached for the cup of coffee without bothering to look at it, or even lower the paper. This was routine. No matter how much that nagging feeling in the back of his head tried to tell him otherwise. Things were always this way.

"I have some business later." No particular need to elaborate. It was men's business, nothing to do with the quiet domesticity of home life. "It won't take long." This close to the holidays, even he would not absent himself for longer than was necessary.