iCloud only sync'ing "one-way"

iPad and macbook, both less than a year old and both running up-to-date OS.

Both connected to the same iCloud account.

When I make a change to a file from my macbook, after a brief wait, the changes are available on my iPad. Great.

However, if I make a change on my iPad, the only way I can get the changes on my macbook are to go into the folder and select "Remove Download" for that file, after which I can open it and see the changes. But it still shows a cloud icon next to it.

This does not happen on my older macbook -- the changes "take" just fine. And there's no cloud icon.

Both macbooks have "Optimize Mac Storage" enabled.

I'm assuming I have a setting wrong somewhere. Any ideas?