第28部分(第2/9 頁)

〃I'll

remember。〃　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Well；　good…bye；　then。〃

He　smiled；　hit　the　ledge　once；　and　pushed　himself　straight。　〃Safe　trip。〃

When　he　stepped　away；　she　put　the　car　in　reverse；　backed　around；　and

headed　for　the　road；　all　the　time　thinking　that　she　might　have　liked　a

kiss。　It　was　a　whimsical　thought。　Not　so　whimsically；　his　lank　image

shrank　steadily　in　the　rearview　mirror。　When　the　car　took　a　curve　and　he

disappeared；　she　narrowed　her　sights　on　reality　and　New　York。

How　different　the　road　looked　this　time　around。　Parched　brown　leaves

blanketed　the　ground；　forests　of　bare　branches　joined　evergreens　in　a

blur　of　gray…green　on　distant　hills。　Mountains　stood　stark；　more　harsh

without　greenery　on　their　slopes。　Leaf　peepers　had　long　since　gone　home

to　city　beat　and　thoughts　of　Thanksgiving；　barely　two　weeks　away。

Those　thoughts　had　precipitated　Anne's　trip；　or　so　she　told　herself　as

she　drove　steadily　north。　On　one　hand；　things　had　improved　in　New　York。

Her　return　trip　had　been　uneventful；　her　apprehension　at　facing　life　and

its　memories　eased　by　the　onset　of　autumn　and　a　renewed　strength。

〃You　look　marvelous！〃　her　mother　had　said　the　first　night　of　her　return。

〃I　like　that　pink　on　your　cheeks。　It　bees　you。〃

Even　after　the　long　drive；　Anne　was　full　of　energy；　which　was　why　she

had　stopped　at　her　parents　in　the　first　place。　〃It　was　pe