r glasses, lookin

g anniversary was

ears wi

a retired battalion chief fr

st, sup

, felt a quiet pride in their life i

d savings meant

lued respect and genuine

l was no

Mike as everyone called hi

emed to drift, easily swayed, e

osmetics counter at

alistic, and Carol sensed Tiffa

y, a less affluent part of the state, w

iffany's eight-year-old da

o, Mike had c

an early anniversa

later with

he-art smart

ffany," he anno

touched. It was an

" she'd said, Frank nodding i

ng this big, or Tiffany to approve of a gift

ushed the t

Mike. "Than

of his gesture, Carol remembered

ned it was a st

a check

" she said, handing it to him. "We w

ed. "Thanks, Mom.

heck, a quick

iar mix of love and a faint,

d in the kitchen, a

, but the thought behind