Quote: I agonized over word order

Mr. Benjamin found a chair and carefully squeezed himself into it. “Congratulations, by the way. I understand Nikolai and Svetlana made valedictorian and salutatorian.”

Dr. Znatok’s nose turned bright pink. “I would have been disappointed had they not. I am sad their father could not be here to see it. He would be very proud of them.”

“My condolences,” he said. “I didn’t know—”

“He will maybe come here next year,” she said.