Page 56 (1/2)

The house was quiet, e room, she picked up several toy dinosaurs that lay scattered in front of the TV

Upstairs, she turned the doorknob quietly, opening the door to the boys' roo What she saas a tent of sheets on Willia through the red and blue Star Wars ies

"I knoo little boys who are supposed to be asleep"

Giggles erupted froe With his spiky black hair and gap-toothed grin, he looked like Peter Pan being caught by Wendy "Hi, Mommy"

"Lucas," Willia"

Kate went to the bed and gently pulled the sheets back

Williaray plastic T rex in the other "Oops," he said, then laughed

Kate opened her ar"

They launched thehtly, s the sweet, fauys need another bedtime story?"

"Read us about Max, Mommy," Lucas said

Kate reached for the book and settled in her usual position--seated against the headboard, legs stretched out, with a boy tucked on either side of her Then she opened Where the Wild Things Are and began to read Max was halfway through his adventure when they fell asleep

She tucked Williaht, Moht" She turned off the flashlight and left the roo the door behind her

Across the hall, Marah's door was shut; a slice of light ran beneath it

She paused, wanting to go in, but it would just start another fight Nothing Kate said or did was right anyrown even hts out, Marah," and waited for her daughter to comply

Then she walked down the hall and went into her own roo At her entrance, he glanced up "You look exhausted"

"Marah," was all she said All she had to say

"I think it's more than that"

"What do you lasses, he set the up the papers spread out around hi up, he said, "Tully tells me you're still mad at her"

Kate could tell by his voice and the studious way he avoided looking at her that he'd wanted to ht You had to be an anthropologist, studying clues to knohat they were thinking "She's the one who hasn't called"

"But you're the one who is mad"

Kate couldn't deny that "Not crazy-mad or pissed off, just irritated That crap she pulled with Marah's "

"Tully, apologize?"

Kate couldn't help s "I know I know But how coo? How come I always have to make the first call?"

"You just do"

It was true; always had been Friendships were like es in that way Routines and patterns were poured early and hardened like cement

Kate went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and climbed into bed with him

He turned off the bedside lah theand illu for her to snuggle up to hily sharp, given their years together He knew her so well, and there was a cashmere comfort in that; it wrapped around and warles and harsh edges; she'd never let herself be softened by love, wrapped up in it Without kids or a husband or a ain, Kate would let go of her anger without an apology She shouldn't have let it si anyway It was remarkable how quickly time passed Sometimes it felt as if they'd just had the blowup What mattered noas not the words, spoken or withheld, but rather the years of friendship

"Thanks," she whispered Tomorrow she'd call Tully and invite her over to dinner Like always, that would put an end to their fight They'd move effortlessly back onto the road of their friendship

"For what?"

She kissed hiently, touched his cheek Of all the views she loved, this ray, drizzlyin mid-Nove lot and joined the snakelike line of SUVs and ht

Marah sat slouched in the passenger seat, looking surly Her expression and herclass in New York

Before, Kate no, there had been bricks between her and her daughter Lately there was a wall

Usually it fell to Kate to sh patches in the road their family traveled She was the peace she said had worked Marah had stayed angry for weeks now and it was taking a toll on Kate She wasn't sleeping well It pissed her off, too, these silent treat to break Kate down