appearance； when the phone finally rang。 〃How are you； Annie？〃 He sounded caring； but a little guarded。 〃Fine。 But I miss you。〃 She had no pride。 〃Same here； honey。 Are you all set for tomorrow？〃 She was touched that he remembered the date； touched that he was calling to give her last…minute encouragement。 〃I don"t think I"ll ever be ready；〃 she answered honestly。 〃But my family and Jeff"s will be ing to get me first thing in the morning。 I think they"re not sure that I"ll show up on my own。〃 〃They"ll all be there？〃 〃Most of them。 I"ll have plenty of emotional support。〃 〃I"m glad。〃 A silence fell。 To lighten it； she asked； 〃How"s Rachel？〃 〃Fine。 Thanks for asking。 A few scabs still left； but she"s back at school。〃 Again a pause； even heavier this time。 〃Anne？〃 〃Yes？〃 〃I love you very much。〃 His voice was melancholy。 Anne wanted to believe that he was as bothered by the separation as she was。 〃I love you； too。 When will I see you？〃 〃Soon； honey； soon。 I"ll talk with you again soon。 Just remember that I love you。〃 Tears filled her eyes。 Something felt wrong。 But he said he loved her。 She had to hold on to that。 The next day was warm by April standards； but Anne woke up feeling chilled。 At nine o"clock sharp； Jeff"s father rang her bell。 She kissed him； feeling the same fondness she always had； and reached for her coat and purse。 〃Are the others downstairs？〃 She was eager to be gone。 The sooner the day was done； the better。 She had been unable to touch any breakfast； and her stomach continued to knot。 〃Actually； no。 There"s been a slight change。 Our lawyer got the call this morning。〃 〃What kind of change？〃 He took her arm and directed her back into the room。 〃Sit for a minute and I"ll explain。〃 When they were seated on the sofa； he said； 〃The hearing has been called off。〃 〃What？〃 After dreading the day for so long； the last thing Anne wanted was to have to go through the agony of anticipation all over again。 〃Why？〃 〃It"s good news； really。 There will probably be an out…of…court settlement。〃 A wave of relief swept her。 〃You mean； there won"t be a hearing at all？〃 He shook his head。 〃I doubt it。〃 〃Then today？〃 The first thing she could think of was changing out of her suit and into jeans； and putting the whole matter behind her at last。 〃Today we go to the lawyer"s office。 The lawyer representing the airline； that is。 It seems that Southeast American Air has counter…filed a suit； one against the manufacturer of the aircraft itself。〃 He waited for her nod； just as Jeff would have done。 Then he went on。 〃The latest investigation points to a weakness in the design of the craft as the cause of the accident； rather than pilot error or substandard maintenance procedures。 Southeast American Air has a fine reputation on those scores。〃 Anne didn"t understand。 〃Then isn"t this the end between the airline and me？ Why do I need to do anything more？〃 Theodore Boulton took her cold hand。 〃They need a deposition from you； a statement of what you suffered and will suffer in the future because of the accident。 The lawyer asks questions and you answer under oath。 You see；〃 he explained； 〃in order to arrange a settlement； there has to be some assessment of damages； of losses。 Not only will our lawyer； the airline"s lawyer； and its president be there； but there will be similar representation by the airplane manufacturer。〃 She sighed。 What he described sounded less threatening than a court hearing。 Still； the prospect of a question…and…answer session was less than pleasant。 〃What will I be asked？〃 He gave a negligent shrug。 〃They"ll want to know about you and Jeff。 How old you were when you met him。 How long you were married。 Where he worked。 How much money he earned。〃 〃But aren"t those things matters of record； already？〃 〃Yes； but a deposition is a sworn statement of them。 It"s legal and binding。 It"s just a formality； but an important one。〃 Anne rested against the back of the sofa。 〃I see；〃 she said when there seemed nothing else to say。 〃Are my parents meeting us at the courthouse？〃 〃My wife will have called them by now。 There"s no need for them to be there； not at a meeting like this。〃 She nodded； then searched the room for memories of Jeff that were warm and treasured； memories that had finally found their place。 When her eyes pleted the circle； they fell once more on her father…in…law。 〃Shouldn"t we be going？〃 He glanced at his watch。 〃We don"t have to be there until eleven。 Was there something else you wanted to do first？〃 She laughed sadly。 〃I"d pretty much chalked off the day； not to mention the next few。〃 〃Do you have much work to do？〃 〃Right now？ No。 I was expecting the worst from this hearing； so I gave myself a week"s vacation。〃 〃I hear you got a good rest in Vermont the week before last。〃 〃You"ve been talking to my mother；〃 she accused lightly； astonished at how the mere mention of Vermont could cheer her。 〃We all worry about you； Anne。 But you"ve been looking more yourself lately。 Something is working for you。〃 It was the perfect opening； but she couldn"t get herself to tell him about Mitch。 It seemed so soon； and； in light of the day"s happenings； inappropriate。 She blushed…but her father…in…law couldn"t know why。 〃I"ve accepted Jeff"s death； which is why this whole legal thing is so hard。 It helps spending time away from it all in Vermont。〃 〃I suspect you"d like to be there now。〃 Her grin was sheepish。 〃Oh； I wouldn"t mind it； no offense to present pany； of course。〃 〃Have you started to date yet； Anne？〃 She took a breath the wrong way and coughed。 〃Not。。 。 really。〃 She and Mitch had never actually 〃dated。〃 Theodore Boulton was sober。 〃We think you should； Anne。 You"re young and beautiful。 I know how much you and Jeff loved each other； but he"s gone。 Dot and I have accepted that； too。 He was our son。 Not a day goes by when we don"t think about him。 But it"s been over a year now； and life has to go on。 You"re only twenty…eight。 You should be enjoying yourself and your friends； finding someone else to love； having babies。〃 His cheeks r