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"We’re visiting the yarn store this afternoon," Carol told hi to see Miss Lydia"

Draping her purse over her shoulder, Carol left the condo and pushed the stroller into the hallway and then into the waiting elevator They took the sa at a park two blocks fro mothers

Carol’s circle of friends had broadened dramatically since she’d left work and Cameron had come into their lives The other roup,once a week for coffee They shared advice and experiences, traded parenting books andtheir own children no longer needed Carol was the oldest roup, but that had never bothered her

After their park visit, Carol steered Cameron into the yarn store "Carol," Lydia called out cheerfully "Hello" She squatted down so she was eye level with Caht purple yarn but Carol was too quick for him and automatically rolled the stroller backward and away fro yarn

"I need another ball of that Paton worsted"

"The olive-green, right?" Lydia had an uncanny ability to reht what yarn for which project Carol had sonow, it was hard to keep track of them all Lydia, however, had no such difficulty

"Jacqueline was by earlier this afternoon," Lydia said

"She’s back?"

"With a gorgeous tan, too She looks so happy," Lydia said with a contented sreat"

"She’ll be here Friday"

"What about Alix?" The fourth roup wasn’t always available on Fridays It had been hit-and-miss with her because of culinary school commitments

Lydia shook her head "I don’t think she’ll be able to hed "I miss her when she can’t be here"

"Me, too," Lydia adned up for the class?"

"I was convinced Jacqueline and Alix would go for each other’s throats within the first fiveat each other"

"It was like third grade all over again"

"You’re telling me" Carol marveled anew at how the relationship between those two had turned out

"Jacqueline was ready to drop out

Carol nodded "I understood why she wanted to, but I’rateful she didn’t"

"I auessed how one defiant, angry young woman would influence all their lives

"Do you ever hear from Laurel?" Lydia asked

"Not a word Not since the day Caned the paperwork and walked out the door without a word to either Doug or me"

"What about Alix? They used to be roommates"

"If she’s heard from Laurel, she’s never hed "I understand he hooked her up with a counselor and got her housing when the aparte to take Caainst her was nearly overwhel woht in her life, and that was to give you and Doug her son"

"I wish her well," Carol murmured, and she ht be curious about his birth parents; he ht even want to search for the these for’s It was their love and their values that would shape hi it up After Carol had paid for it, she tucked the plastic bag in the basket behind the stroller and headed for the door "I’ll see you Friday afternoon"

Lydia gave her a final wave and Carol wheeled the stroller down the sidewalk, past the florist and the café and toward the hill to the waterfront area and the condo

She’d only been ho arrived He kissed Carol, then reached down for Ca him close Carol was always profoundly moved when she saw her husband with his son Caht of his daddy and he squealed and clapped his hands

Thefor this They’d suffered and sacrificed but none of that seemed important now They had their son They had their fa on to thissat on the floor and played with Caether father and son stacked blocks while Carol looked on, tearsher eyes She knew that in the years to coht not be as perfect as it was today It didn’t matter She felt content and happy, and the eone

She was co touches on her crèive her instructor a chance to grade her work Mr Dia eye, then tapped the burnt sugar crust He tasted the crealy He turned in her direction "Nice job, Alix You o"

Alix stared at her teacher, certain that she hadn’t heard hi, however, but removed her hat and apron and hurried out of the class Praise froet was tight and would be for the next year of the two-year program Alix had lived on far less The lack ofshe loved Cooking For years she’d drea school, but the tuition costs were as high as a college education It would’ve continued to be far beyond her means if not for her friends Jacqueline and Reese Donovan

Alix hadadopted Laurel’s baby Reese had lots of proh his connections he was able to steer her toward a scholarship prograh, Jacqueline had insisted Alix live in their guest house while she attended school Their housekeeper had recently retired and now Alix had a house-cleaning job that supplied her with enough ood to believe Every now and then, Alix had to pinch herself to prove this was real Toto her, Alix Townsend

Once she’d changed out of her uniform, Alix called Jordan’s cell from the pay phone in the locker room

"Hi," she said when he answered