On the weekend, Lella had gone to Penn Yan to say goodbye. First to Rachel, who tearfully promised to write; then Dr. M, who had held her close, secretly wishing he had done something differently, although he didn’t know what; and finally, Clarice, who was reigning at her cottage. During the visit, she told Lella that Dr. M had taken over the care of her parents and planned to visit them every week. She was going to move to the winery in March and was starting a couple of enology classes in January.
Lella had wanted to hear about Rufus: how was he doing? But she didn’t dare bring him up. Both had skirted the issue when they came close. And when Lella approached Rufus’s home in Watkins Glen, she kept going.
* * *
Livia took the last sip of her coffee and returned to the turkey. John bega
