A month later Zoe and I were in the car headed to the airport. She stared out of the window at the passing trees. The airport was a little over an hour away, and the small talk had dwindled after first few miles. After a few minutes of silence, I reached over and took her hand in mine, enjoying her soft touch for a moment. Zoe looked over at me expectantly, then just smiled and squeezed my hand. It was a gesture that spoke volumes.

When we arrived at the airport, I walked her into the terminal instead of just dropping her off at the curb. She had one carry-on...