She had discovered four keepsakes in a locked drawer and wanted to make sure they were received without another public spectacle.

I asked the children first.

They agreed, on the condition that Daniel wasn’t present.

Margaret met us at the study door holding a brass key.

Inside, the winter light fell across William’s desk, where four wooden boxes sat in a row.

Each had a name engraved on the lid: Noah, Ethan, Sophia, Olivia.

Below the names was their shared birthday.

Sophia ran her fingers over the carving.