I turned the box around and cut the tape on the left side, keeping my hands braced against the edge of the table.

I laid the paring knife on the linoleum mat and lifted the cardboard lid straight off.

Inside was a single sheet of white tissue paper, neatly folded over whatever lay beneath with four crisp corners.

It hadn’t been disturbed since the hour someone tucked it in place.

I folded back the top layer of white tissue.

The satin christening gown lay flat against the dark cardboard bottom, pure white and completely untouched by time.

Under the hanging bulb the fabric shimmered, smooth as milk.