“Look at these clothes.

Look at this coat.

I brought a box of silver earrings for the girls too.”

Lily held the little velvet box between her palms, running her thumb along the hinge, but she didn’t open it.

“I brought chocolates from the French bakery by the hotel,” Vanessa added, smiling down at Lily.

“The kind with gold leaf pressed on top.”

I stood by the door to the workshop hallway, scraping a flake of dried oak varnish off my right thumb.

“Step into the kitchen, Vanessa,” I said.