April is in her kitchen preparing the coffee—she’d ground the beans and set them in the filter atop the carafe, and now she’s waiting for the water to boil. May is scooping French vanilla ice cream into the bowls. Their husbands, Greg and Marv, are seated in the living room talking about property taxes while waiting for dessert to be served. Every other Saturday the couple meet for dinner, alternating houses.

“The water’s boiling,” May informs April.

“I know,” April says. “I like to let it settle a bit. When Greg makes coffee he’s too impatient and pours it right in, and invariably some of it splurches out.”