It began subtly. So subtly, in fact, that I almost missed it. Ella's push began with the types of comments that could have come out of nowhere, as if they had been waiting in the air for the right moment to fall. Observations that seemed innocuous but, upon closer inspection, had meaning and implications that went beyond simple small talk.
We were out to lunch in our favorite restaurant in Capitol Hill, a place where the staff knew us by name and had our favorite dishes ready by the time we got to our table. Ella was telling me about a frustrating work situation that involved an upper-level political tier, when she stopped abruptly and looked at me over the rim of her wine glass.
"You know, you should really try dating again, you know," she said. "This time, I mean. Actually trying. Not just the occasional coffee date that goes nowhere."
