“I think what I notice most is the lack of photos. When I’m out of town, I even put photos of my girls on motel dressers. Are the family photos all upstairs?”

“Her house up north has family portraits galore.” I thought of the lovingly compiled scrapbooks upstairs, with photos of Wendy at every phase of her life. I wondered if she was doing the same for her girls.

Sophie looked at her watch, a big, jeweled affair with numbers large enough to read from across the room. “Single parenting’s not easy, and I never traveled the way your sister does. I can see why she’s here where your parents can help. What did she do for help before?”

I couldn’t recall, which was another sign I’d never given Wendy’s life much thought. “I don’t know what she did. I love Wendy, but she and Mom have always been the team, and I kind of dragged along behind. Honestly, I never thought much about it.”

“You’re sure thinking about it now.”

I stood because Sophie got to her feet. “I won’t mind when I can go back to blissful ignorance.” Except that I was fairly sure I never would. When Wendy returned and this mess was cleared up, things in both our lives would be different.

We went back through the house and stopped at the front door. I restrained Sophie before she opened the door. “I’ll go out first and take a peek to be sure Hoodie Guy isn’t waiting to get in.”

“You could move in with your parents until you feel safer.”

“I feel safer here. At least Hoodie Guy won’t ask a million questions I can’t answer.”

“You don’t have to go first, I have Mace.”

I didn’t ask why. Sophie had been on the dating circuit several times in between reconciliations with her ex. “We’ll go out together. You punch and I’ll kick.”

“Next time I’ll come when I can meet the girls.”

“If you and Mr. Coffee hit it off, maybe next time will be a sure thing.”

I hugged her and watched her head out to a street empty of both cars and trucks. I was sorry to see her go. I really did hope the date was a roaring success.

I only rarely think of myself as lonely. I have a job I love, and a crew who hang out with me when I need company. My little condo complex has an older couple who show up at my door on a regular basis with home-baked bread and yoga DVDs. There’s a bar not far away where I can watch the sunset and talk to any number of tourists and regulars. I just make sure none of them follow me home.

Sophie’s visit, though, reminded me just how much I depended on her for companionship. In Seabank I had my parents and my nieces, but I couldn’t share thoughts or feelings. I was probably suffering an odd kind of homesickness, even though I was actually living in my hometown. Or maybe it was something more.