Accumulating Distance

Declan's phone rang.

He looked at the screen — Callum — and the particular quality of his attention shifted in the way it always did when the world outside the room reasserted itself. Not reluctant exactly. Just the recalibration of someone who carried a great many things and had briefly set one of them down.

"Take it," said Leona.

He answered.

She didn't listen — not because she couldn't, but bec