After she made her call and I could hear the excited voices of her mother and father through the phone that seemed to settle her down a little, she hung up the phone and turned to me expectantly.

“Okay, what do I have to do next?” I studied her for perhaps a minute too long. It had been days since I’d seen her, and I couldn’t believe that she was even lovelier than I remembered.

In the clear light of day, I saw how effortlessly flawless she was, and that sweet, ...