She hadn’t come to their wedding dinner, nor to any anniversary gatherings or birthdays. The sudden gesture felt too unexpected, too out of place. Gwen’s first instinct was suspicion. But then again, the thought of returning to a quiet house, heating leftovers alone, didn’t feel appealing either.
“Alright,” Gwen replied, careful not to sound too surprised. “Cornerstone’s fine.” As they walked to their cars, she tried to make sense of it. Maybe grief softened people. Maybe Elizabeth was trying to show maturity. Or maybe, Gwen thought cautiously, she just didn’t want to be alone either.