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Finally, it was time to come and get her classroom ready for the new year. She drove down on a Thursday morning, cleaned up the dust that had gathered in her apartment, stopped by the school, and started in again on the familiar yearly routine. And somewhere in the middle of it, she realized that she'd come to her decision. Finishing for the day at a little after three o'clock, she drove directly to the house Evan had grown up in, parked out front in the street, and knocked at the door.

Eileen greeted her as she always did-effusively, sincerely-with a welcoming smile, a hug, a kiss on both cheeks. They went together into the airy, modern kitchen and made catch-up small talk until Eileen had poured them both iced teas and they were sitting across from each other at the table in the nook that looked out at the Eden that was the Schollers' backyard. At last, Eileen cocked her head in her trademark fashion. "So what brings you around today?"

"I wanted to ask you if you think Evan would want to see me again."

"I think he'd want that more than anything."

"I wasn't too good the one time, you know? Did he tell you about that?"

"He didn't give me too many details. He said it wasn't very easy between you two. But he didn't blame you. Nobody blames you-I mean we don't-you know that, don't you?"

Tara nodded. "I just didn't know where to put any of it. Everything happened so fast. Finding out about all the lies Ron told me, and then thinking Evan and I, we might get another chance. Then that last night in the bar…where I thought…" She stopped, swallowed, shrugged.

Eileen reached over and patted her hand. "It's all right. If it means anything, and I think it does, Evan has no memory of what happened over there. He doesn't believe he killed Ron. He says that's just not who he is. He never would have done that."

"I believe him."

"So do I."

"But somebody did."

"Maybe somebody connected to these Khalils. That's what Everett says he believes."

" Everett?"

" Everett Washburn. His lawyer." A rueful smile. "His expensive lawyer." She waved away the comment. "But that's all right. We've got enough savings, thank God. I can't think of anything better to spend it on."

Tara hesitated, then came out with it. "They want me to testify about that last night. Against him."

" Everett said they would. I think it'll be all right if you just tell the truth."

"The truth wasn't too pretty, Eileen."

"No, I understand. But you can't do anything about that."

Tara twirled the iced tea in its little ring of condensation. "I could marry him," she said.

Sitting back and straightening in her chair, Eileen drew in a big breath and let it out. "Well…and here I've been thinking these old bones would never be surprised by anything again. But I don't think you'll have to take it that far."

"Not just to keep from testifying, Eileen. I've had all summer to think about how I feel about all this stuff. And over the weeks, it's just gotten clearer and clearer. Whatever happens, I'm on Evan's side. If he still wants me. If he'll see me."

Again, Eileen patted Tara 's hand. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that at all, dear. Not in the least little bit. I'm going down there to visit him in the next fifteen minutes if you'd like to come along."

***

WHEN EVAN SAW TARA standing next to his mother on the other side of the room, he turned his face upward and closed his eyes. His body seemed to heave in relief. Tara came to the window-Eileen waiting in the back-and sat down across from him.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi."

"You look a lot better than last time."

"I feel a lot better too. How have you been?"

"Good. Gone. I'm sorry it's been so long."

He shrugged.

"I was trying to figure things out," she said.

"Any luck?"

"Pretty much. I finally got so I could see what ought to have been obvious all along."

"Which is what?"

"That if I'd have just gotten down off my high horse when this all started, when you deployed…I was just afraid I was going to lose you, that you'd be killed. I couldn't believe you'd be willing to sacrifice everything we had. I was so mad-"

He raised his palm. "Hey, hey, hey. We've been through that enough, haven't we?"

She nodded, almost letting a smile break. "Way enough. You're right."

Now he reached his hand out and put it against the Plexiglas separating them. "It's so incredibly good to see you. Do you know that?"

"You too." She leaned in toward him. "I came down here to tell you that I love you, you know, Evan Scholler. I've always loved you. All that other stuff, not answering your letters, everything with Ron, I was just young and stupid."

"No, the stupid award goes to me. Walking away from you that night at the Traven."

This time, a smile broke. "Okay, maybe we're tied on that one. But I'm not going to be stupid anymore."

He sat back, then came forward again, his voice raw. "You realize people might say that this is stupid, visiting me, getting involved again with me on any level. If you're going to be doing that."