I had seen those hands for almost thirty years and that ring, which Jean and I personally designed and had custom-made, was our wedding ring.
My heart ached so much that it was almost numb, almost to the point where I thought I couldn't feel anything anymore, when Gwen sent me a video.
In the video, Gwen's son, Gavin Ellison, was clinging to Jean, playfully asking him, "Uncle Jean, can you be my dad?"
"Can I call you Dad, please?" He shook Jean's arm and said, "I think you're the best uncle in the world, my superhero."
"I really like you and I really want a dad like you."
"Please be my dad, okay?"
Gwen smiled and called out to him, "Stop being silly."
Jean then said to Gwen, "Why is he being silly?"
Jean bent down, maintaining eye contact with Gavin, his eyes incredibly gentle.
"Do you like me so much?"
The child nodded.
"Do you want me to be your dad?"
Gavin nodded even more vigorously.
Jean said, "Okay, then call me Dad. I'll be your dad, okay?"
The child's joyful voice echoed in the video and Gwen sent me a voice message. "Juliet, what do you have to compete with me? You should just give up."