Wren Summerdream knew the meaning of commitment, and she took hers seriously. She might look like a party girl, but underneath it she was a loyal and loving friend. So when she said she'd stand by Enrico Monty for richer for poorer, she had meant it.

But honest to Pete, she wondered some days if she'd made a mistake. When they'd bought their new cottage by the hot new architect Simarissa she'd thought it was a starter home. But here they were, ten years later, still there, with no hope of moving into the nice modern villa the architect had also designed. Enrico was far too nice for his own good, and she privately thought that's why he'd been passed up for so many promotions at his job at the lab. Ten years of struggling in a job he apparently had no talent for. Still a lab technician on a lab technician's salary.

So it was with great surprise when she opened the mail one day and saw an envelope addressed to Enrico Monty, Executive Director, Llama Labs. She thought at first it was a joke. She couldn't help herself, she opened the letter. It was an invitation to speak at a prestigious conference and the writer was falling all over herself to make a good impression on Dr. Monty.

Wren sat down on the steps, not comprehending. How could this be? Were there two Enrico Monty's? But no, the writer of the letter mentioned that she wasn't sure if Dr. Monty preferred his former or his married name, Summerdream.

"Hello, Wren," said a voice. Wren looked up to see a well-dressed blonde woman smiling at her. Standing behind her, looking shy and uncertain, were two redheaded little girls. "Is Dusk home?"

"Uh, sure, she's upstairs," Wren said, thinking the girls must be Dusk's classmates.

"Well, good," said the woman, "because I wanted so much for her to meet her sisters."

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