I looked her in the eye and didn’t answer.

At two fifteen that afternoon, Julian came into the formal parlor carrying a tall glass vase of nine long-stemmed white lilies.

He set the vase on the side table near my elbow, where I was going over the specification sheets for two wireless baby monitors.

“These came from the florist on Third Street,” Julian said.

He reached into the inside pocket of his suit, took out a small black velvet box, and set it gently on my knee.

Inside lay a delicate silver chain with a teardrop diamond pendant.