He bumps into Helena one day as he's off to the grocer's – Martin and his wife are visiting, and he has suddenly remembered that Theresa might want decaf rather than regular coffee. The former Mrs Richardson makes sure to leave a couple of well-placed remarks in her wake, and he's painfully aware that his face must be like thunder when he storms back into the house and takes the worst of his fury out on the coffee machine. Sarah quietly offers to make the hot drinks herself, only to get asked to go away rather brusquely; he half expects her to confront him with his unwarranted behaviour, but she merely squeezes his arm and leaves him to it – shame settling like a sizzling ember in the pit of his stomach.
His brain automatically makes an unhelpful detour towards dangerous ground, and he immediately chastises himself for it; he's been down that particular road too many times, and old fool though he may be he's not falling back into old habits all over again.
He makes it back to the living room just as Martin is concluding the story of that time the ground crew of a tiny airport in the middle of nowhere actually mistook him for the captain.
"Curious feeling, isn't it?" he comments lightly as he places the tray on the coffee table. "I've always thought it rather cuts both ways."
All eyes turn to him, and his friend looks momentarily dumbfounded by such a casual statement. "Douglas, I had no idea –"
"Here you are," he cuts in, his tone carefully even. "Black no sugar for you, Martin; and decaf for you, Theresa."
Then he makes sure to brush his fingers against his wife's as he places a cup in her hands, the burden in his chest melting a little as she leans into the touch. Sarah is nothing like Helena, or any of his other ex-wives – she doesn't think he's terrific, she knows each and every one of his flaws and still loves him; he hopes and prays he'll be able to tell her how much that means to him someday.
In the meantime, he settles for wrapping his arm around her shoulders, his thumb tracing the golden band he's wearing on his finger. Then he catches sight of the protective glances Martin is sneaking at his princess, and his face breaks into an affectionate smile.