When we spent the Christmas' holiday at home our senior year, Lila woke up early and stumbled into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Crossing into the den, her attention was drawn to the large homemade red stockings hanging from the chimney. Her reaction to seeing the stuffed stocking named 'Lila' in sparkly glitter, and most of the presents under the tree addressed to her from Santa, went unobserved.

All I know is that when I finally woke up, I went out to see a teary-eyed girlfriend fiercely hugging my mother on the sofa. When she got tired of that, all she had to do was turn in...