She said every syllable very deliberately.

Her left hand reached up and twirled a loose red ribbon on her sweater sleeve.

“Hello, Emma,” I said.

“I brought your favorite ice cream.

It’s right here in the box.”

Mark walked over to the stainless steel refrigerator.

“Let me get you a glass of iced tea, Arthur,” Mark said.

“It’s the least I can do after you drove all this way.”