Part 2: I discovered my husband was having an affair with my best friend while we were all on the same airplane—and neither of them knew I was there. Instead of confronting them, I sent a small, beautifully wrapped gift to their seats.

"He likes dinosaurs," he whispered.

I began crying.

He laughed softly.

"Just like I did."

He sat beside me.

For a moment, he couldn't speak.

Then he said, "I showed him the photograph."

I wiped my eyes.

"And?"

"He said we had the same ears."

I laughed through my tears.

Dawson covered his face.

"Claire, he asked whether I could come back."

My heart broke.

"What did you say?"

He looked at me.

"I told him I'd like that very much."

And for the first time since the plane, I saw something other than grief in his face.

Hope.

I returned to Mom's hospital room that evening.

She was preparing for discharge.

When I walked in, she smiled.

"How's Dawson?"

I sat beside her.

"He met his son."

Her eyes filled.

"Thank God."

For a while, we talked about ordinary things.

Her medications.

The drive home.

How Lucy had called twice to ask whether Grandma could still come to her school concert.