”I can’t believe you’re using your one kid-free day to hang out with me.” Lisa peals out of my driveway and heads toward the Highland Park bridge. We’re heading to the mall together, just the two of us. I try to think if we’ve ever been able to do this before.

Whenever we’ve gone to the mall together, it’s been for the boys’ Pinewood Derby competitions or to take turns watching the kids while we bought them all school ...