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“Thank you,” she said to me, then to Daniel. “Thank you, my dearest friends.”

She swung around again to let her husband lead her away, their children scampering alongside them.

Grace’s hand slipped into mine, and I impulsively leaned down and kissed her.

“It is good to see him again,” Grace said wholeheartedly.

“It is,” Daniel agreed, his eyes suspiciously moist. “Does me good to know that Sam has his family again.”

I squeezed Grace’s hand and wound my arm through Daniel’s. “As I have mine,” I said quietly.

Daniel started, but he quickly pulled me to his side and bathed me in his smile as we followed in the Millburns’ wake.

The winter wind held new iciness as we strolled along, but I was warm as could be, surrounded by the ones I loved.