Peter, if I may interject, a similarish situation ( people preparing to divorce as viewed by an outsider:-
THE HOSTILES

Steel-helmeted
wary under the white flag,
into the truce
they emerge.
The armed guards
alert,guns at ready
visible behind their eyes.

No weakness
showing towards
each other
they come forward
to greet and welcome
the guest
to the family home

Then their duty done
the shutters clang
down
to punctuate your visit
and underline
their concession.

I have felt more warmth
in a mortuary
and more humanity
in a book on calculus