Uncle Healy couldn''t help thinking that Effie must be kicking herself with regret right now. She didn''t recognize the true value of what she had, mistaking a pearl for a pebble, and that''s why she gave such a precious ink set to Bancroft at this kind of asion.


    It wasn''t that Effie''s gift to the old man was a bad choice-it was that she''d picked the wrong moment.


    But Effie herself wasn''t burdened with suchplicated thoughts. She simply thought the ink was nice, so she gave it away.


    The gifts Effie gave afterward were all quite impressive, though. Everyone ended up with something they genuinely loved.


    Fidelia looked at Effie, half-grumbling, half-incredulous. "How in the world did you know I liked The Stormriders? And this album''s been out of print for years!"


    Effie had gifted Fidelia the debut album from The Stormriders-a band whose first record came out a decade ago and disappeared from the shelves long since.


    These days, an original copy was practically a collector''s holy grail, selling for thousands at auction-if you could even find one.


    But Effie''s gift went beyond that: the record was signed by all five band members, with the lead singer''s autograph right in the center.


    Clutching the album to her chest as if afraid Effie might snatch it back, Fidelia stared at her, wide-eyed.


    Effie offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry-I overheard your music while passing your room during the holidays, so I guessed you were a fan. I love them too, actually-I''ve collected a bunch of their records over the years."


    Fidelia was stunned. She''d never expected to find a fellow fan.


    The Stormriders were old news by now; when they''d started out, the band members were barely out of their teens, but now the oldest had to be pushing forty. For someone Fidelia''s age, that was practically ancient.


    Mentioning the band''s name around her peers usually earned only nk stares.


    So Fidelia couldn''t help thinking Effie''s words sounded a little too calcted, like she was trying to win them over on purpose.


    She must be really scheming, Fidelia thought, going to all this trouble just to please us.


    Hmph. But she shouldn''t think that a few thoughtful gifts could erase everything she''d done in the past.


    Fidelia''s lips curled in a secret, satisfied smile. Just wait-things were about to get interesting.


    Bancroft, in high spirits, called everyone to the table. They took their seats in order.


    Conversation was set aside for mealtime; the Etheridge family kept strict traditions, and the dining room fell into afortable hush.


    Effie picked up her fork with extra care, feeling a little on edge. But with Lyman beside her, she didn''t feel uneasy-in fact, she found his presence reassuring. She actually enjoyed the lively, bustling atmosphere of a big family dinner.


    Still, her mind wandered. The peace at the table felt less like calm and more like the quiet before a storm.


    Suddenly, her vision blurred for a moment. When she looked down, she saw Lyman had ced a perfectly peeled shrimp on her te her favorite.


    He hadn''t needed to do it himself; if he''d only said a word, one of the staff would have taken care of it. But Lyman seemed to enjoy doing these small things for her. He liked making sure everything was just right for Effie.


    Some of the other rtives were clearly less than pleased by the disy, but nobody dared say a word the Etheridge house rules were not to be trifled with.


    "Thank you," Effie whispered, leaning closer to Lyman.


    Lyman nudged his chin toward her and replied in a gentle voice, "Don''t mention it. That''s what I''m here for. But from now on, don''t thank me otherwise, I''ll get upset."


    He gestured subtly across the table. Following his gaze, Effie saw her father-in-w, Friedman, patiently peeling shrimp for her mother-inw, Lindy.


    Lindy epted it with a sweet smile, beaming up at Friedman.


    Effie paused, caught off guard by the warmth of the moment. Something inside her shifted.


    So this is what marriage could look like, even after all those years.


    Right then, she understood the old saying: if the original is true to itself, every copy will be true as well.