I picked up the box to carry it upstairs, and Joan followed with the photo album. In the living room, Analemma raised her head from where she’d been napping in the corner of the sofa, her tail thumping against the cushions.

“I need to take her for a walk,” Joan said. “Do you want to come? We can go for a hike in the hills.”

“Sure. Give me five minutes? I have to close up the back basement.”

“Take your time.”

I went downstairs again, taking out my phone on the way. I texted to Mel: I’d love to come, thanks

In the back room, I started to put Dad’s books away and spotted my old telescope on the floor beside the Adrienne Rich book. I decided to take the telescope and the book upstairs with me. As I closed the basement door, my phone vibrated with Mel’s response: a thumbs-up.

Chapter 8

Mel lived in a little white stucco house on a residential street in San Rafael. There was a shiny black Jeep in the driveway, so I parked Joan’s Honda on the side of the road just past the address.

Before I got out, I checked my makeup in the mirror on the back of the sun visor. I’d gone for a beachy, sun-kissed look with a glossy lip, and I wondered if my makeup was all wrong—and my outfit, too. White shorts, a loose teal blouse, wedge-heeled sandals, dangling silver earrings. I had bought this outfit for Martha’s Vineyard, and after that got canceled I packed it to bring to California. This was my first opportunity to wear it, but I was suddenly sure it was totally wrong for a Dyke March.

I had tried to arrive a few minutes late so I wouldn’t be the first, but I didn’t see Lisa’s white Golf on the street. Maybe Steph drove the Jeep. I checked the address Mel had sent me for the hundredth time, then forced myself to get out of the car. Halfway up the path to the house’s front steps, I almost turned around. I could go back to Joan’s and tell her I was feeling sick. I could text Mel an apology, say my grandmother needed her car unexpectedly. I still had my phone in my hand and I even unlocked it, my thumb poised over the text messages icon, when I heard a car come down the street. I turned to see Lisa’s car pulling over. I was both disappointed and relieved.