“Wrap it up in a gift box—it’s for someone,” Tessa told the clerk. As she turned, her eyes landed on me, and her voice faltered. “Elaine.”

“Hi, Tessa,” I said, stepping toward her.

Her eyes filled with tears almost instantly. “Elaine…”

That was all she could manage—just my name, like she had so much to say but didn’t know where to start.

I studied her quietly. In just a few months, streaks of gray had spread ...