The meeting took place in a private room at Willow Creek.
Rebecca came.
Nathan came.
Then Claire arrived.
She stood in the doorway.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Margaret stared at her.
Claire was forty-seven.
Her dark curls were streaked with gray.
Her eyes were exactly the same.
Margaret stood.
Her knees trembled.
Claire looked at her.
Then she whispered.
“You’re shorter than I imagined.”
Margaret laughed.
A strange, broken laugh.
“So are you.”
Claire smiled faintly.
Then both women began crying.
Margaret did not rush forward.
She did not try to hug her.
She simply stood there.
Claire took one step.
Then another.
Then another.
Finally, she stopped in front of Margaret.
“I don’t remember your face.”
Margaret nodded.
“I know.”
“But I remember your voice.”
Margaret’s lips trembled.
Claire stared at her.
“You used to sing.”
Margaret covered her mouth.
“Yes.”
“In the kitchen?”
“Yes.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
