The car followed the gentle curves of the country road easily, and I listen with one ear to the rambling observations of my daughter from the backseat as I let the riot of colors splashing across the hillsides and the vaulting majesty of the Adirondack mountains sooth me. The sky's a brilliant blue, decorated with sporadic puffs of bright white clouds, and the air is crisp and cool. My eyes flicker between the road and the rear view mirror, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth as I watch Alaina twist this way and that trying to look at everything.

"Mama?"

"Yes, Lainy?"

"Are we going to get to Aunt Kay's house before bedtime?" I chuckle and meet hopeful, identical gray eyes in the mirror with a grin.

"Yes, sweetie, we will. We'll be there shortly."

"'Okay!" With a soft laugh I turn my attention back to the meandering road, enjoying the familiar trip. After fifteen years of living just three hours apart from my best friend, the path from my house to hers was familiar and easy to follow, and I look forward to finally arriving, needing the break the long weekend will give me.

Half an hour later I park the car alongside my friend's station wagon and turn it off, stretching as I swing up out of the car. Alaina squirms in the backseat as I try to unhook the seat belt. "Lainy, sit still," I exclaim, after two failed attempts. Finally the eight year old is free, and she jumps out of the car as I pull our two duffels over my shoulder, the sound of a door drawing my attention to the house.

"Aunt Kay!!" I glance over the roof of the car to find a familiar, petite blonde leaning against one of the porch supports, a smile curving her lips.

"Hey Lainy!" I watch as my daughter is swung into a tight hug and follow the walk to the steps. "Something's wrong with this picture," Kathy comments, a brow cocking curiously. Looking around in mock innocence, I stop one step from the top.

"There is," I ask lightly. Kathy ruffled Lainy's hair, then reached out to brush her fingers lightly against my short brown locks.

"Well, let's see, you both chopped your hair off, and where's Joe?" My stomach clenches in nervous reaction as I swallow and shrug slightly.

"Daddy's at Gramma's," Lainy answers easily. "Like my hair? Mama let me have mine cut when she cut hers. She says it makes me look like a pixie!" Kathy's pale brows tug together in concern, and I shake my head minutely, taking the last step and tugging her into a one armed hug.

"Long story, Kat," I murmur, "and I'll fill you in later." A tentative nod of a blonde head and I follow my friend through the front door to be greeted by a cacophony of kids' voices.

Alaina's surrounded by Katherine's three youngest, the four kids talking over each other in their excitement, and I meet my friend's amused green eyes with a wry smile before ducking down the side hallway to drop the bags in the guest room. The low thunder of feet on the stairs carries the children's voices away, and I glance over my shoulder to find Katherine leaning in the doorway, arms crossed. "Alexandra," she says softly, and I turn and prop my hip against the footboard of the bed.

"Hmm?" Green eyes flecked with gold search mine for a long moment, the silence broken only by the occasional thud on the floor above, and I clamp my emotions down tight.

"Are you alright," she asks tentatively. My jaw flexes and I drop my eyes for a moment in search of composure.

"No," I finally answer, my voice cracking on the single syllable, and I lift my eyes to hers, "but please don't ask me to explain now." She nods slowly, and I push away from the bed, motioning her back into the hallway. "So did we beat Amy home," I ask curiously, surprised the other woman hadn't made her presence known yet. My brows tug together as her footsteps slow, her shoulders stiffening slightly, and I touch my hand to her lower back. "Katherine?" She glances over her shoulder at me and I catch a flash of shadowed pain before she forces a slight smile.

"She moved out last week." My breath catches slightly and we continue along the hall into the kitchen.

"Guess we both have long stories to tell tonight," I comment quietly, and she nods in silent agreement.


The next few hours pass in something of a blur as we tackle the evening meal, catching each other up on the goings on with the kids. Thrilled to be around children of her own age who've been raised similarly, Alaina spends the evening outside with the other three, helping them with their chores and playing with the animals. Dinner is somewhat raucous, despite attempts by both Kat and I to get our children to calm down, the five kids full of energy.

Finished with my meal I sit back and watch my friend with her kids, happy to see that the family dynamic has finally settled a little. Jake, fifteen, deeply tanned, dark haired and dark eyed, arrived home just before dinner from helping the farmer down the road stack hay, and did his best to help with the younger kids, but their excitement was contagious and before long he was joining in the fray. The twins, Michael and Nicholas, eleven years old, with reddish brown hair, laughing blue eyes and freckles across their noses, were hysterical, and I struggled not to laugh as they regale the table with stories. Rebecca, the same age as Alaina and her best friend, despite the distance, with long dark blonde hair, and brown eyes, was solemn and quiet, just like her mother, except when Alaina was around. The girls already had their days planned, falling back into the easy friendship Beth and I had been sure to nurture between the two.

After dinner the kids are set the task of cleaning up, Kat and I sitting back with cups of tea, listening with amused smiles as Jake takes control and sets tasks for each of the younger children, splitting the chores among them. We pass the time sharing the trials and tribulations of our gardens and her small farmstead, with occasional input from the kids, all of whom are involved in 4H. In short order the kids join us back at the table and soon we're in a detailed discussion about their upcoming projects, and I promise to let them show off their animals in the morning.





It's much later when we finally get all the kids settled down and tucked in, and we share a knowing glance as we hear the whispers pick back up behind Rebecca's door as we leave. Jake's waiting in the hall and gives his mom a hug goodnight, reminding her that he's due back down at the Miller farm in the morning before ducking into the bathroom. The house settles into a silence that is near deafening after the activity of the day, and Katherine and I make our way into the living room, settling into opposite corners of the couch with cups of hot cocoa. We're both reluctant to speak and concentrate on our mugs, blowing at the steam softly. The thud of a log settling in the woodstove finally jerks both of us from our distractions and I smile crookedly at her.

"So what happened," I ask gently. She sighs and shakes her head.

"She just...left. Said she didn't want to be a mom to four kids, didn't want to be a farmer, didn't want to live in the country...didn't want any of the things that I want, apparently." Her voice is low, heartbreak weaving through it, and she sets her mug on the coffee table and threads her fingers together. "There was no warning, no fight, nothing. She just came home, and said that she was leaving. She took a job in Boston, had an apartment ready, had given her notice - everything - all without saying a word to me." I lean forward and rest my hand atop hers, rubbing my thumb against the back of her hand gently. "I don't understand how she could just toss six years, Alex." She looks up at me, and I meet her glistening gaze with a sad smile and set my cup alongside hers before tugging her to me. She curls against my shoulder and I wrap my arms around her, holding her as she lets the tears fall.

After a long while, she glances up at me with red-rimmed eyes and I brush a stray tear from her cheek. "Better," I ask gently. She nods and smiles faintly as I offer up a box of tissues. "You told anyone else yet?" She quirks a wry grin and shakes her head slightly. "Me either," I whisper. She chuckles softly and leans back to meet my eyes.

"Your turn." I nod and take a deep breath, my jaw flexing as I compose my thoughts.

"Well, the short story is he left." Her brows climb up her forehead.

"He left??" I nod and sigh.

"Yeah. This past year has been...rocky, at best. He..