the banister and slipped it on.

She was halfway down the stairs when she heard rustling in the kitchen. She stopped,

silently hoping he wasn't making a mess of things. But she did smell coffee. That was a

start.

She pushed on the swinging door, nearly knocking Craig off his feet as he walked by with a

handful of eggs.

"Good God, you're cooking?"

"Don't act so surprised."

"I've just never seen you do it before," she said as she sidestepped him to get to the

coffee.

"Now that's not true. When Angie was a baby, I remember a couple of times I got up early

to make breakfast."

Jill smiled. "She's nearly fifteen."

Craig laughed. "Don't let her hear you say that. She's fourteen and not a day older."

Jill leaned against the counter and sipped from her coffee, watching as he cracked eggs

and dropped them into the pan.

"If I want these scrambled, I just kinda stir them up, right?"

"At this point, yes. Most people scramble them prior to the pan."

Craig waved a spatula at her. "Just a waste of a bowl."

"May I ask why you're making breakfast?"

He grinned. "Don't you know?"

She frowned. Oh God, it wasn't their anniversary, was it? No. June. Birthday? No. July.

"Oh, come on," he said. "It's the make-up breakfast."

She shook her head. "For what?"

He shrugged. "For the make-up lunch."

"How so?"

"You know, yesterday at lunch, I got a phone call."

"And?"

"And, well, we didn't really have the family lunch I'd planned."

She tilted her head as she looked at him. "You came to this conclusion all on your own?"

"Well, no. Not exactly."

Jill smiled. "Angie thought I was mad?"

"Yeah." He stirred the eggs then quickly looked back at her. "Are you?"

"Not mad, no." She forced a smile. "I never could compete with your cell phone."

He moved to the toaster and put two slices of bread in, then opened the fridge and pulled

out the jug of orange juice. He looked at her with eyebrows raised and she nodded.

"I thought, you know, maybe today we could have a day out."

"What kind of a day out?" she asked suspiciously, watching as he poured their juice.

"Well, I thought maybe we could drive over to Richland."

"Richland? Why on earth?"

"Well, they're hosting a basketball tournament."

"I see. And?"

"I kinda wanted to see it. You know, we play Richland next week."

She opened the cabinet and took out two plates, silently handing them to him, before

opening the drawer to the utensils.

"Well, you know what, I don't really want to go to Richland to watch a basketball game,"

she said. "Why don't you ask one of your buddies to go? You know, guys day out," Jill

suggested.

He grabbed the toast and tossed them on the plates, then handed one to her. "Are you

sure?"

She nodded. "I'm sure."

"But what will you do?"

She reached for her coffee, taking a sip before answering. "Boring as it sounds, I need to

go to the grocery store. Not to mention laundry."

"Oh, babe, that's work. I'm offering you a free day. No work."

She raised her eyebrows. "So who's going to do it if I don't?"

The trip to the grocery store was made with practiced ease and she methodically checked

items off her list as she moved down each aisle. But it wasn't groceries on her mind. She

had a free day. A free Saturday.

And still, she and Carrie had yet to exchange phone numbers. But if they had, Jill would call

her, see if maybe they could get together for a few hours today. Maybe even go to the

cottage and sit down at the pier. It was another sunny day. And although it was far too

early for spring fever, she had a desire to be outside, to sit in the sun. A desire to see

Carrie.

Frowning, wondering why this woman was always on her mind, she stopped and looked at her

list, trying to muster up some enthusiasm to finish her task.

Afterward, she would go home, have a quiet lunch then perhaps enjoy the sunshine on her

own patio. And maybe her mind wouldn't be filled with thoughts of Carrie.

Later, as she pulled into her driveway, her backseat covered with grocery bags, she was

surprised to see her mother-in-law coming out of the side door.

"Why Jill, I didn't expect you to be here."

Jill bit her lip to keep the obvious retort from slipping out. It was one thing for Craig's

parents to have a key to their home for emergencies. It was quite another that Arlene felt

the need to use it any time she liked.

"Grocery store," she said as she opened the back door and pulled out two bags.

"Grocery store? I would have thought you'd gone to Richland with Craig."

"Why?"

Arlene pursed her lips and Jill prepared herself for the lecture she was about to get.

"You and Craig hardly spend any time together as it is. I would think you'd want to be with

your husband."

"My husband was going to a basketball tournament, Arlene. As you know, I'm not really

crazy about basketball."

"But Craig loves basketball."

"Yes, but I don't. I didn't want to waste my Saturday doing something I hate."

"I hardly think riding with your husband to a game would be considered wasting your time."

Jill opened her mouth then closed it again. She wouldn't waste her time now by arguing

with Arlene. So she walked past her, pushing open the side door with her shoulder.

"Did you need something, Arlene?"

"Oh, I baked cakes yesterday. I brought one over. You know how much Craig likes my

German chocolate cake."

"Yes. So does Angie. I'm sure they'll love it."

"I wish you would learn to bake, Jill. Craig has always loved desserts. I'm sure he would

appreciate a fresh-baked cake every now and then."

Jill smiled. "Yes, and he appreciates when you bring them over." She walked back outside,

getting the rest of her bags from the backseat.

"Well, baking does take some talent. Unless you open up a box and use a cake mix. Then I

say, what's the point?"

"Yes, well, thanks, Arlene. I'll be sure to try a piece myself."

Arlene stood in the kitchen, watching as Jill put the groceries away. Jill finally stopped.

"Was there something else, Arlene?"

"No. I guess I should get going. It's nearly lunchtime." She paused on her way out. "Do you

want to join us? Carl is grilling burgers."

Jill shook her head. "No, but thanks."

"No trouble to do one for you."

"Actually, I've got some errands to run. I'll pick up something in town," she lied.

"Okay then. And don't forget, we're having steaks for dinner. If this weather holds, it'll

be nice to cook out."

Jill frowned, her eyebrows pulling together. "Craig didn't mention we were having dinner

with you tonight."

"He didn't? Yes, at seven. But don't worry about bringing anything. It'll be simple. I'll do

baked potatoes."

Jill nodded. "Well, I'm glad you told me. I would have already started dinner by the time he

got home."

Arlene moved to leave then stopped again. "Where's Angie?"

"She's at Shelly's house. Her mother was taking them to the movies today, then she's

staying over."

"How fun. It must be nice for you, hmmm?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, that Angie doesn't bring her friends over here. That way, you don't have to play

mom."

Jill was about to protest but she didn't. It was the truth. Angie rarely brought her friends

over to the house. So she nodded. "I think she's afraid I'd have to haul them around in my

old car."

"It's no wonder she thinks you don't like her. You spend even less time with her than you

do your husband." She looked back over her shoulder. "See you tonight."

Alone again, Jill finished unpacking her groceries, trying not to let Arlene get to her. She

wasn't certain if she said things on purpose or if she was completely oblivious as to how

hurtful her words were.

Slamming the cabinet door harder than necessary, she stood there, hands tightly gripping

the counter. Without another thought, she grabbed her purse, going back outside into the

sunshine. Before she knew it, she was speeding down the street, driving automatically,

watching the familiar sights of their small city zip by as she headed out of town.

And toward the lake.

She didn't know how she knew it but something was guiding her, as if she was a puppet in a

play. She had no reason to think that Carrie would be at the cottage on a Saturday. Yet,

that's where she was headed, not for a moment questioning her reasoning.

That was why, a short time later, she was not surprised to find the gate open as she

bounced along the tiny road. She felt an instant wave of relief when she saw Carrie's blue

van parked in the driveway.

As she stood outside, she debated whether to use the front door or to go around the back

to the sunroom like they normally did.

"Well, what a pleasant surprise."

Jill turned at the sound of Carrie's voice, her smile matching that of the other woman.

"You know, if you leave your gate open like that, you never know who will drop by."

Carrie walked closer, her eyes turning serious. "Would you believe me if I told you I had

this ... this feeling that you'd come today?"

Jill let herself be pulled into Carrie's eyes. She nodded. "Yes, I would believe you." She

laughed lightly, pulling her eyes away from Carrie's, breaking the spell the woman seemed

to have on her. "We've really got to exchange phone numbers."

"Yes, we do." She pulled off her gardening gloves and wiped her hands on her jeans.

"Because this day is too beautiful not to share." She motioned for Jill to follow as she

walked through the picket fence and around to the back. "Let me wash up, then we can go

sit down at the pier."

"You're sure I'm not intruding?"

"Oh, absolutely not. It was just so pretty out, I thought it'd be a good day to start on the

flowerbeds." She went to the sink in the kitchen to wash and Jill pulled out a bar stool,

watching. "How did you sneak away?"

"Didn't have to sneak. There wasn't anyone at home."

"Oh yeah?"

Jill sighed. "Craig went to a basketball tournament in Richland." She waved her hand

dismissively. "He wanted me to go with him so we could spend some time together."

"And?"

"I declined. For one thing, I hate basketball. And two, as long as his cell phone is with him,

there's not a moment of down time."

"You hate basketball and he's a coach? How did that happen?"

"Football, basketball and baseball. He coaches all three. Football is the only one I have any

interest in. But he lives for them all."

"How in the world can he possibly coach all three?"

"Assistant coach in football, head coach in basketball. He's the hitting coach for the

baseball team. And yes, it takes up most of his time. Sports, period, take up most of his

time." She shook her head. "I don't mean to complain. He was like this when I married him.

I just thought he'd have outgrown it by now."

Carrie leaned on the bar with her elbows, watching Jill. When their eyes met, Jill tilted her

head.

"What?"

"I just think it's kind of odd that we both have husbands so busy with their own lives that

we've become almost an afterthought." She shrugged. "At least, that's how I feel

sometimes."

Jill nodded. "Exactly. Yesterday, when he took us out for lunch, his cell rang barely ten

minutes into it. I think he actually forgot I was even there. I had to ask him to end the call

just so he could take me back to work."

"I know what you mean. I think James would shrivel up and die if he lost his cell phone. But

I try not to complain. It wasn't all that many years ago where mine was the one constantly