2
Waylaid
When we reach our hotel, Pete insists on coming in with us to see us safely home. He’s such a kind, thoughtful guy. I hope he and his family have a wonderful new life in Australia. I envy them their family closeness and their new start in life. I think I’d quite like to live in Perth, but then again, I have all the excitement of going up to Oxford in September to look forward to. And I love the English countryside. Furthermore, some day I hope to be able to return to my birthplace in Vermont, but Kempton stands in the way of that at the moment—still controlling my choices.
Deep in thought and weighed down with a sleepy child in my arms, I don’t hear the receptionist call out to me at first. Pete strides across the foyer after me and stops me.
“Merry, they’re trying to attract
