Olivia “You and Dan have only been married for four years?” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I cringed at what I had just said. “I-I’m sorry,” I stammered, sitting up a little straighter. “I didn’t mean—” But Clarissa just chuckled. “No, no, it’s okay,” she said. “I know it’s a bit of a shock, seeing as how we’re both in our middle age. But yes, we’ve only been married for four years. We met eight years ago.” “I see.” I chewed my lip for a moment as I thought back on what Clarissa had said that day when she visited before the Valentine’s Day gala—how she had always wanted a family, but never had one. She hadn’t gone into detail about it. “If you don’t mind me asking,” I said cautiously, leaning forward, “before Dan, were you… were you ever married at all?”

