Joanna had sat on the edge of the bed for hours, squinting as she tried to decode her father’s erratic handwriting, and as each word was uncovered and each meaning became clear, she cried again. People change, he said. Pressure removed by new surroundings had cleared his mind and friendships born over ice cream had erased his prejudices. Horizons expanded, and acceptance blossomed in a kitchen where two people enjoyed their dessert...and where one hid behind the presumptions of another.

On the night he had first met Addison, Robert was indeed confused, but as Prudence had gathered her things, she had made enough noise to wake the dead. So, after she left his room, he opened his eyes, opened his nightstand, and quickly jotted down his thoughts while the taste of his coconut and lime dessert was still fresh on his palate. Yes, he was confused on the first night they met, but he was never confused again. He knew who Addison was. He knew her connection with Joanna, and on the night he died, on the night Joanna walked into his room appearing more beautiful than he had ever seen her before, he knew the look in her eyes. She was in love...and she was in love with Addison Kane.

Lost in her memories, Joanna stared off into space, giving Addison a chance to steal a few glances. She could see that Joanna had gained a wee bit of weight, and the bodice of her shirt now seemed stretched to its maximum, but Addison couldn’t have cared less. Joanna was still the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and that thought put a ghost of a smile on her face.

“Something funny?”

Addison jerked out of her thoughts. “What? No...no, nothing’s funny,” Addison said, shaking her head. “It’s just...it’s just you look good.”

It was unexpected, and Joanna silently damned herself for how it made her feel. Holding her head high, she said, “I’d say the same to you, but I’d be lying.”

“I’ve had better days, I guess.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” Addison whispered. “Days spent with you that I never wanted to end, but now every day seems to go on forever.”

“I know the feeling.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I do,” Joanna said, making her way down the rest of the stairs.

The kitchen door swung open, and Evelyn appeared, and even though Addison was surprised the woman was still in the house, she didn’t say a word.

“I’m sorry. I was doing some work in my office and didn’t know you...you were out here.”

“That’s fine, Evelyn. I’ve got what I need for now. I was just leaving,” Joanna said as she headed toward the front door with suitcase in hand.

“Wait,” Addison called out, taking three long strides to reach the door. “I-I-I don’t...I don’t even know if...if the baby lived.”