He asked questions no one had ever bothered to ask. “This fox character,” he said, lingering over sketches of what would become Brave Little Fox. “There’s something special about him.” His enthusiasm was intoxicating.
Thomas worked in marketing and had big plans. “I can see you illustrating for major publishers,” he said. He had a gift for making my quiet aspirations seem achievable. He proposed six months later in that same coffee shop. “I know I can’t afford the ring you deserve right now,” he said, dropping to one knee. “But I promise you, Rachel, I’m going to build a life where you never have to worry about money again, where you can focus entirely on your art.” I said yes before he finished speaking.
