r tears, her voice trembling desp

r her hand. "If you feel like cr

ght her back to the day years ago when she had

her bedside, speaking to her in that same tender tone, as if his words

icine to ease her pain. Then it took her years to fully understand th

ow voice, withdrawing her hand as the stingin

arly not expecting her to

ing a clean small dish, then picked up a piece of fish

still angry, but mentioning divorce isn't a rational response. If we

thing became r

as nothing more than his appendage. If separated from him, she would

lear that he thou

t," she rep

prove her strength and fight for her dignity. Yet he merely smiled, as

, "Eat up. I'll permit you to stay upset for a little while l

unsure how to make him see that her request wasn'

after, I might not have nearly as much availability. Let me repeat this. Catherine is a good friend to all of us. She's part of our crew. I treat her the same as I do Ai

Rebecca replied, not believing for a second th

ce sharpene

involved Catherine, his patience wore t

ad over to your parents' house for dinner. It's been quite a while since you

, she picked up her fork and

maintained her health first and foremost. There was

s voice returning to its gentle tone. "But

hen lowered her head and c

shopping, but Vance insisted on it, driving them

ompanied her on a shopping trip could be counted on one hand. In fact, the occ

even during the daytime, creating a glarin

is shadow. The first floor was lined with count

ike?" he asked,

anything at all. She

d, someone called out from

heart. But then, every year on her birthday and their weddin

idn't put much heart into it, at least he rememb

, but they were at least valuable. Now she realized that he did ca

isn't he?" Aiden laughed. "You can buy whatev

t?" Catherine said, her exciteme

his business contact. The man, who was there to pick up his wife from shopping, learne

Rebecca quickly ducked out of si

waved her hand enthusiasti

ebecca saw Vance and his business con

ance's and began swaying it playfully. "

replied, his g

ife, a stark contrast to the bland, emotionless deme

the card now," Catherine chirpe

"You guys have such a deep bond. It'

on, but neither of them attempted