[He knows he promised her, but he can't move, not yet, as though his body had been filled with cement or something. He holds out a hand, at least, as if holding her hand would help. Or, at least signal he's trying.]

My wife is happy, and my kids, you know, they're talking to me about school. Just dumb shit like which kids are the jerks and who's cool and how mean their math teacher is. It's just...normal.