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“You’ll miss her,” Katie observed.
He nodded. “A lot. I know she’ll enjoy school, but I kind of like
having her around.”
As he spoke, rain continued to sheet against the windows. The sky
flashed on and off like a strobe, accompanied by an almost
continuous rumble.
Katie peered out the passenger-side window, lost in her thoughts.
He waited, somehow knowing she would break the silence.
“How long were you and your wife married?” Katie finally asked.
“Five years. We dated for a year before that. I met her when I was
stationed at Fort Bragg.”
“You were in the army?”
“Ten years. It was a good experience and I’m glad I did it. At the
same time, I’m glad I’m done.”
Katie pointed through the windshield. “There’s the turn up
ahead,” she said.
Alex turned onto Katie’s road and slowed down. The rough gravel
surface had flooded during the downpour, and water splashed up
to the windows and over the windshield. As he focused on
steering the car through the deep puddles, Alex was suddenly
struck by the thought that this was the first time he’d been alone
in a car with a woman since his wife had died.
“Which one is it?” he asked, squinting at the outline of two small
cottages.
“The one on the right,” she said.
He turned into the makeshift drive and pulled as close to the
house as he could. “I’ll bring the groceries to the door for you.”