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Meredith stirred soy e It occurred to her that she and Jeff only talked at a distance lately, like strangers—or disillusioned partners—and only about work or the kids She tried idly to remember the last time they’d made love, and couldn’t

Maybe that was nor as they had, there were bound to be quiet times Still, it saddened her sometimes to remember how passionate they used to be She’d been fourteen on their first date (they’d gone to see Young Frankenstein; it was still one of their favorites), and to be honest, that was the last tie when she thought about that now, she didn’t consider herself a romantic woht He’d been a part of her for as long as she could remember

They’d married early—too early, really—and she’d followed hihts and weekends in smoky bars to pay his tuition She’d been happy in their cramped, tiny U District apartnant It had terrified her at first She’d worried that she was like herBut she discovered, to her profound relief, that she was the complete opposite of her own mother Perhaps her youth had helped in that God knew Mo when Meredith was born

Jeff shook his head It was a esture, barely even a movement, but she saw it She had always been attuned to him, and lately their h-pitched whistle that only they could hear

“What?” she said

“Nothing”

“You didn’t shake your head over nothing What’s the matter?”

“I just asked you so”

“I didn’t hear you Ask ain”

“It doesn’t matter”

“Fine” She took her coffee and headed toward the dining room

It was so she’d done a hundred times, and yet just then, as she passed under the old-fashioned ceiling light with its useless bit of plastic ed

She saw herself as if fro a cup of coffee, looking at two empty places at the table, and at the husband as still here, and for a split second she wondered what other life that woman could have lived What if she hadn’t come home to run the orchard and raise her children? What if she hadn’t gotten ? What kind of woman could she have become?

And then it was gone like a soap bubble, and she was back where she belonged

“Will you be home for dinner?”

“Aren’t I always?”

“Seven o’clock,” she said

“By all e “Let’s set a time”