Crying softly, Emily drove aimlessly around the foothills as memories filtered in and dovetailed. She thought of all the times Chris had come over to talk to her mother after Emily’s dad had walked out on them for the last time. Long talks in the kitchen about staying solvent and other matters Emily was too young to understand. Chance meetings atop nearby Mohawk Mountain after the tourists had gone, comparing notes and discussing the changing seasons, threatened habitats of creatures and ecosystems, the preservation of upland tree canopies. Dropping in on Emily from time to time to see how she was doing with her schoolwork and her exploits on the soccer field. Then, more recently, eager to hear all about her escapades in the UK, especially her treks across the rock-strewn moors.
With the
