"Grandma, it''s really not necessary, I—"


    n, did you hear me?" Magdalen''s tone left no room for argument as she addressed him.


    "I heard you,"n replied, staying by Evelyn''s side.


    Satisfied, Magdalen turned to Eleanor. "If he won''t buy it for you, then I will."


    Eleanor hesitated, realizing she couldn''t refuse any longer.


    After dinner, Evelyn, always attentive, gripped her father''s hand and said, "Daddy, you have to buy Mommy a big, sparkly gem, okay? Collette''s mom has a huge diamond ring, and it''s so pretty!"


    Eleanor followedn out the door. She just wanted to pick something simple and head back to appease the olddy-otherwise, if Magdalen decided to buy the gift herself, it would be extravagant.


    Eleanor entered the shop alone. A young saleswoman greeted her with a bright smile. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Goodwin''s assistant?"


    Eleanor paused, smiled faintly, and didn''t bother to correct her.


    The saleswoman continued enthusiastically, "Miss, would you please let Mr. Goodwin know that the six sets of jewelry he ordered for Miss Shannon have already shipped by air express? They''ll arrive in time for her concert."


    Six sets of jewelry.


    Eleanor gave a cool, inwardugh. Ian certainly was thoughtful-every detail for Vanessa''s concert was already taken care of.


    "Of course. I''ll let him know," Eleanor replied, her tone even.


    The saleswoman sighed. "Miss Shannon really has an eye for unique pieces. These are all one-of-a-kind, usually kept at our main office. I''m sorry for any inconvenience."


    "How much did the six sets cost, roughly?" Eleanor asked, curiosity piqued. "Altogether, about twenty-eight million dors," the saleswoman answered readily. Eleanor thought to herself: He spent fifty billion on research to save Vanessa''s life -what''s another twenty-eight million on jewelry?


    She turned and left the store, clutching her purse. Ian had just finished his call and came over. "Did you find something you like?"


    "Forget it. I don''t want anything from you," Eleanor replied, cold and distant.


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    Eleanor pulled away. "Don''t bother. I''ll handle her myself."


    "I don''t like jewelry," Eleanor said quietly.


    "Then what do you like?"


    She looked at him with a mocking smile. "After all these years of marriage, you still don''t know?"


    Across the street, Eleanor spotted an old woman sitting by the curb, her small table piled with cheap trinkets. She watched each passerby with hopeful eyes, but no one spared her a nce.


    Eleanor walked over and crouched in front of the table, sifting through the items.


    "Miss, buy one, please! They''re very cheap-just three dors each," the woman said hopefully.


    Eleanor pulled out a hundred-dor bill. "I''ll take fifty."


    "Fifty? Really?" The woman''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "I''m a teacher—I''ll give them to my students," Eleanor replied, pretending.


    Eleanor didn''t quite reach fifty; she picked out barely twenty before standing up. "I''m done. Here, please take the money."


    "Thank you, miss, thank you!" The old woman''s hands shook as she epted the bill, quickly folding it and tucking it close to her chest.


    Eleanor hefted the bag of cheap bracelets and turned ton. "Let''s go home."<pn didn''t move. The neon lights by the roadside flickered in his eyes-bright one moment, dim the next-his thoughts impossible to read.