Then a little girl approached the case.
She couldn’t have been more than six.
She looked at the red dress for a long moment.
Then she turned toward me.
“Did somebody make that for you?”
I knelt beside her.
“No.”
“Then who?”
I smiled.
“A father made it for his little girl.”
“Where is she?”
I looked at the dress.
“She isn’t here anymore.”
The little girl became quiet.
Then she reached for my hand.
“Did he love her?”
I felt tears rise in my eyes.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
I looked at the dress.
“As much as a heart can love.”
The little girl thought about that.
Then she smiled.
“That’s good.”
And she ran back toward the other children.
I stayed there for a moment.
Watching them.
Listening to their laughter.
And I finally understood why Julian had chosen me.
Not because I was special.
Not because I was wealthy.
