Noah blinked as well. "I'm sorry. I thought I'd said something about her, but evidently, I didn't. Julia was my first wife. We were married nine years. She died a little over a year ago in a car wreck. A drunk driver, who walked away. Though not far--he's in prison, with no possibility of parole. Julia was pregnant at the time, and with the attitude toward bringing new lives into the world, well. They threw the book at him. I'm not sorry--he was a repeat offender, and had his license taken away months before. At least now he won't kill anyone else."
He found himself touching the broad gold band on his left hand. He'd never taken it off. "Unlike May and I, Julia and I married for love. When she died, it was. It was difficult." He looked up and offered her a wan smile. "But they say that life goes on, and it does, maybe not as quickly as you'd like, but. It does. Things do start regaining some of their shine."