Fred opened the door and gestured for Damien to enter the hall. Damien’s hand shook as he stepped forward. Three years ago Jessica’s parents had stood by him, believed in his innocence, but he hadn’t been sure they would still feel the same way. With time to think, to stew, to miss their daughter, they could have changed their minds, but it didn’t appear that was the case.

“You look good,” Damien told Fred, taking in his trim gray hair and fit physique. “Retirement must agree with you.”

Fred looked back over his shoulder as he led Damien to the living room. “Truthfully, it’s boring as hell.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “And Susan gets on my damn nerves. Never thought I’d feel that way, but I have to tell you, now that I’m home, she suddenly thinks I give a crap about the new curtains for the kitchen and the petunias for the yard, and the eighteenth pair of sandals she’s bought.”

“What’s that, Fred?” Susan came into the room and stopped short. “Oh, my God.” Her hand went over her heart. “Damien.” She reached for him, kissed his cheek. “How are you, sweetheart?”

“I’m okay,” he said, because it was the closest to the truth. He’d been better. He’d been worse. “You look as lovely as ever, Susan.”

She waved her hand and snorted. “Oh, please. I look like a hag. Fred’s driving me crazy being home all the time and I have the dark circles under my eyes to prove it.”

Fred looked astonished, and Damien found himself smiling. Susan was still a beautiful woman, just like Jessica had been. He set the box down on the end table next to the suede sofa.

“What’s in the box, honey?” Susan sat down and patted the seat next to her. “Come sit by me so I can look at you. You look tired, sad. I’d hoped the next time I saw you there would be a smile on your face.”

Damien tried to force one, but it fell flat. “I brought you some of Jessica’s things…her swimming trophies, her yearbooks, and photo albums from college. It really should all come back to you, and I’m sorry it took me so long to do it. I just couldn’t go through her stuff.”

He wasn’t even sure what had possessed him to do it now. But when he’d decided to come to Chicago, he’d pulled out the taped boxes in his closet and had quickly sorted out some things for Jessica’s parents. It felt right to give pieces of Jessica back to them.

He had needed to do this, see them.

“Are you sure?” Susan’s hand was reaching for the box, but she stopped.

“Yes. These are from before we met. I kept the pictures of Jessica and me.”