Zoes chemo sessions lasted for six weeks. Try as she might to prove “mind over matter” true, as the sessions progressed she began to suffer the side effects we’d dreaded. The last session found her weak and frail, with her black cropped hair nearly completely gone, and her already-slim figure frighteningly gaunt. Her spirits were high, however, and we waited with bated breath for the doctor’s findings after her postchemo exam. We prayed before it. We prayed after it. We prayed for three days as we waited for the results. Grace and I, at Zoes request, accompanied her to the doctor one Wednesday morning to hear what he had to say, and we both wept as much as she when the doctor declared the treatments a success.

I was on my way home from postproduction voice-overs a month later when I ran, quite literally, into Todd. I’d gotten the sense that he’d been avoiding me, and try as I might to keep in contact with him after the wedding, he pretty much disappeared. I could tell by the look on his face that he didn’t really know what to do in my presence. I acted as though this was all lost on me and invited him to dinner at our house that weekend. To my surprise he accepted.

That Saturday he showed up with a bottle of wine and flowers for Grace, the first chivalrous act I’d ever seen him undertake. He was doing an excellent job of masking whatever apprehension he felt, and doing an equally impressive job of curbing his language and avoiding his usually ribald and shady humor. But no amount of acting could have masked his thoughts when Zoe joined us in the kitchen just before dinner. She’d planned on leaving the house before Todd arrived, despite our insistence that she was welcome to join us, but her afternoon nap had lasted longer than usual. I introduced them and cajoled Zoe into taking a seat, which she did, and then sat back and watched Todd fall in love.

Grace pointed out that a suspicious amount of smoke was seeping from the barbecue and joined me as we raced out to make sure dinner wasn’t spoiled. We kept our backs to the kitchen windows as we muffled our laughter.

“I’ve never seen someone so obviously smitten,” Grace giggled.

“I’m afraid he’s far, far beyond smitten,” I replied, flipping steaks and turning veggie kabobs on the grill. “That’s full-blown infatuation. Borderline obsession. Do you think Zoe is catching the vibe?”

“I don’t see how she could miss it; he’s practically levitating.” We shot surreptitious glances over our shoulders to the kitchen windows, where we could see Zoe chatting and Todd staring. “For an actor he sure is doing a lousy job hiding his feelings.”

I smirked. “I’ve never seen him like this. Ever. He’s usually James Bond when it comes to women.”