At work later that day, Dana found it difficult to concentrate on much of anything. Her mind kept wandering ahead to what would happen when she and Bethany both got home. Or rather, what might happen. Would one of them get down on a knee and propose the old fashion way? Was Bethany expecting a ring, or roses, or wine? Flowers and booze I can do, Dana thought, stocking new books to keep busy. But a diamond, on my salary? Even a small one is way out of my budget. I’ve never even owned one myself.
Except that wasn’t quite right, was it?
The year Dana turned twelve, her grandmother in Michigan had sent her a special gift for “becoming a woman.” When Dana first heard that phrase, read aloud by her mother from the birthday card accompanying the gift, she had worried the wrapped box might conta
