Chapter 63: Ticked Boxes.

"Hello, darling! So nice to see you again," Meg said as she answered the door. She kissed me on my cheek and I noticed she is also wearing a black dress. What a relief, at least, I am dressed appropriately.

"Great to see you too! Thanks so much for having me," I said, feeling myself relax.

Meg smiled and introduced me to her husband, Noâm, a rail-thin, dark-skinned guy with an unusual accent. He took my coat and offered me a drink. "A glass of champagne perhaps?"

I rested my hand on my stomach and politely declined.

"How about a Perrier?" he asked.

"That would be lovely," I said, as Meg led me into her living room.

Her living room looks like a spread in a magazine. The ceilings are higher than any I have seen in a private residence—they must be at least sixteen feet high. The walls are painted a dark, romantic red. A fire is flickering in the fireplace, casting a soft light on the jewel-toned Oriental rug and dark, antique furniture. Faded hardcover books filled the shelves that l