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"He was your husband?" Although Madame Frederick had obviously loved hie

"Yes" She sighed "The ether We fought like cats and dogs and we loved each other Oh, hoe loved each other One look frolance ould take three hundred pages in a book"

Carrie added sugar to her tea and stirred Her hand trehtly as her mind drifted back to the kisses she’d shared with Philip in the elevator She’d taken the stairs ever since She’d been kissed before, plenty of times, but it had never felt like it had with Philip What unsettled her was how perfectly she understood what her neighbor was saying about Randolf

"I didn’t remarry after he died," Madame Frederick said as she slipped into the chair next to Carrie "My heart wouldn’t let me" She reached for her teacup "Not reat, and at such a tender age"

Carrie sipped her tea and struggled to concentrate on Madahts were on Philip--and his kisses She wanted to push the memories out of her ive you your Christmas present early," Madae in her lap

"I have so to wait until Christmas"

"I want you to open yours now"

The older woold ribbon and peeled away the paper Inside the box was a slass bowl filled with dried herbs and flowers Despite the cellophane covering, she could smell the concoction Potpourri? The scent ree

"It’s a fertility potion," Madame Frederick explained

"Fertility!" Carrie nearly dropped the delicate bowl

"Brew these leaves as a tea and--"

"Madanant anyti

"I appreciate the gesture, really I do" She didn’t want her friend to think she wasn’t grateful, but she had no plans to have a child within the foreseeable future "I’ up this potion of yours" She took another drink of her tea and caught sight of the ti quickly to her feet "I’enerously offered to buy her lunch as a Christhter had written the invitation on a lovely card shaped like a silver bell

"Thank you again, Mada the last of the tea She carefully tucked the unwrapped Christift in her purse and reached for her coat

"Coain soon," Madame Frederick said