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"Change your mind about what?"

Ruth lifted her chin "Robin wants to talkmy fifty-year class reunion" She took a determined bite of her turkey-and-bacon sandwich

Why would her sister-in-law do such a thing? "I hope you go," Bethanne said

"I a she says will convince me otherwise" Bethanne had never seen Ruth so fired up

"Good for you" She watched in ahteous resolve

Sing, Ruth relaxed and sent Bethanne a grateful smile "And I intend to drive to Florida by myself That’s all there is to it"

Two

"Florida?" Bethanne repeated slowly Her mother-in-laanted to drive across the entire country? Alone?

"Oh, Bethanne, not you, too" Ruth groaned "I’ the trip"

"Can’t you fly?" As far as she knew, Ruth didn’t have any fear of air travel

"Of course I could, but what fun is that?" Ruth tossed her napkin on the table "For years Richard pro the route, and I’d write allThen invariably sohtened at the ave up"

Richard was a workaholic who hardly ever took vacations He spentcountless baseball games and piano recitals In fact, he died in that very saone now? Seven years, ht, by Bethanne’s calculations

Grant had taken his father’s death especially hard They weren’t close but Grant had looked up to his father and respected his work ethic As for Robin--well, she’d been cut froht out of law school, but divorced three years later Robin edded to her job; there wasn’t roo or anyone else Even her desire for a family had faded next to the demands and rewards of her meteoric career The only time Bethanne actually saw her sister-in-laas at Christmas and that hadn’t happened in years, not since before the divorce They did chat by phone every now and then, and Robin remembered to send cards and checks on Andrew’s and Annie’s birthdays But she wasn’t involved in their lives--or anyone else’s, it seeer, you know," Ruth went on, interrupting Bethanne’sto see the country, I don’t feel I can delay it anymore I wanted to ask Robin to accompany me but we both know that would be a waste of breath I don’t think she’s taken more than a week off in the past ten years"

Bethanne had nothing to add Ruth was right; Robin would never go on a road trip with her mother, would never devote two or three weeks to family

"In all these years, I’ve only been back to ing "For my parents’ funerals and then once for a brief vacation But I’ve kept in touch with several of h school friends Diane and Jane both came out to Seattle with their faether, it was like ere teenagers all over again! I enjoyed it so much, and the reunion’s the perfect opportunity to see theo" She leaned back in her chair and crossed her ar to dissuade her "Then you should do it," she saidthe first of June"

"So soon?" Bethanne raised her eyebrows

"Yes, the reunion’s on the seventeenth and that gives hts I’ve alanted to visit Mount Rushinally settled in the Dakotas, you know"

Bethanne didn’t want to discourage Ruth, but she did feel a twinge of anxiety about her traveling that distance by herself She’d be an easy lare "Before you say anything, I want you to know I’ve rented a car since I’ht from Florida to Seattle So don’t even try to talkwith her and instead patted the older woman on the arm

"No one takes the time to travel by car anymore," Ruth said plaintively "Life is ‘rush here’ and ‘rush there’ My children are grown, and I’m sorry to say they’re both a disappointment to ht years old and--" Her voice cracked "I aile to know my own mind"

Bethanne reached across the table and clasped Ruth’s hand She thought of Casey Goetz and the close relationship she had with Lydia’s ht be difficult for Ruth to drive cross-country It was either take this trip now or give up her long-held dreao with you," Bethanne said in a soft voice

Ruth’s head shot up "You?"

"I haven’t taken a vacation in years" Aside from a few trips with the kids to visit relatives, her last real vacation had been with Grant They’d gone to Italy to celebrate their tenth anniversary

Ruth continued to stare at her, obviously at a loss for words

"It would do et away for a feeeks," Bethanne said "I have so aill give me a chance to do that"

"You’re serious? You’d drive with me?"