"...But I believe that here and now with all of you is more important than who I was when I was 30," I said. "Having said that, in recognition of Babs' speech, here's the truth. For over 20 years before I met your mom I was married. She died in a traffic accident when I was in my mid-40s."

Their eyes all got wide.

"What happened?" Steph asked in a hushed voice.

"A drunk driver hit our car. Babs may recall that I used to walk with a cane when she was young. There were some medical advances, and I could repair most of the damage. But my wife, Beth,...