In the midst of the determined nudge of the pan and shifting of grain on tin, Tony's assertion of months before comes back to him: "Well it's important the whole time, Ellis."

It would be selfish to take the out. Ellis doesn't even know if he's capable of answering her, if her curiosity is directed in any direction he's expecting. But even if he can't wrench together an answer for her, he can at least explain it's absence. Surely that's better than nothing.

His fingers tighten by degrees over hers.

"No. Ask me now, Wysteria."