ir. There was no note, no mention of it. It was

ered. I was walking past a conference room when I heard t

his weekend," Emily was saying. "Mom has

ice was low and intimate. "I want to do this r

whole life being planned right in front of me, a life I had foolishly imagined for myself. My

f. I walked back to my desk, my movements stiff and robotic. I opened a file, stared at t

, move to a new city, maybe Florence, and finally pursue my passion for art history. But I hadn't thought about the details. I hadn't told my family. My mother wou

to the sound of my doorbell buzzing insistently. I

red suit, a frown on his face. "You're late.

ildered. "How did yo

ere the most obvious thing in the world. "Are you going to g

I wasn't late, a gesture that could almost be interpreted as care, but his tone was laced with t

"What was that about this morning? I saw D

to make sure I wasn't lat

ring her voice, "everyone's been noticing how he is with Emily. The way

onfirmed what my own eyes had already seen. The evidence w