“I was thinking maybe eight thirty,” I tell him. “It would mean a great deal to me.”

“It would be an honor,” he says. He confirms that the aquarium will be shut down for us at eight and to come in anytime we would like. After hanging up with him, I call my florist, Amanda, except I don’t order flowers, making her laugh even louder. Amanda has been a close friend since my early twenties; we ran in the same circle.

“You know that this is a flower shop, right?” She laughs.

“I know, but I have no idea who else I can call to order this from,” I tell her, and she talks to someone in the back.

“Okay, but you owe me one. Do you want any flowers with this box of stuffed animals?” Amanda asks me, and now I laugh.

“Not today,” I tell her. “And you know that I’m good for it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says and disconnects when she gets the address she needs. I call Vivienne, and I’m not surprised she doesn’t answer my first call or my second, but when she ignores my third, I send Amanda a text with different instructions than the first.

“Hey, you’re still here.” I look up and see Matthew walking toward me.

“Yeah, I was going to get on the ice for an hour or so,” I tell him. “What’s up?”

“I’m heading out to pick up my wife, but I wanted to touch base and see if everything is okay.” I watch his eyes as he asks me this. I don’t think Vivienne would have told him anything, and I try to see if she did.

“What do you mean by that?” I ask him, trying to see if he knows anything or if it’s all in my head.

“I know that you were beyond frustrated last year,” he says, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “And I just want you to know that we are behind you one hundred percent.”

“Thanks,” I tell him, nodding. “Last year was not a good one, but we can do better this year, so let’s do that.”

“I agree.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “Now I’m off.”

“Have fun,” I say and walk away from him. The phone beeps in my hands.

Amanda: Everything is taken care of. Who knew so many stuffed animals could fit in one box?

Me: Thanks.