“Good idea.” He gave her a hug, then stepped back, his gaze suddenly full of concern. “You’ll be okay on your own for a while?”

Lin patted her son’s arm. “Of course I will. This is my first trip to the city. There are dozens of things to do. I doubt I’ll have a minute to spare. Though I don’t think I’ll do any sightseeing today, since I made an appointment to have my hair and nails done at the hotel spa.”

Will laughed. “That’s a first. You never do that kind of stuff. What gives?”

“It’s not every day a mother sends her son off to college.” She gently pushed him away. “Now go on with you, or there’ll be no time to relax. I’ll see you at seven.”

Will waved. “Seven, then.”

Lin gave him a thumbs-up sign, her signal to him that all was a go. She pushed the glass door open and stepped outside. The late-afternoon sun shone brightly through the oak trees, casting all sorts of irregular shapes and shadows on the sidewalk. The autumn air was cool and crisp. Lin walked down the sidewalk and breathed deeply, suddenly deliriously happy with the life she’d made for herself. She stopped for a moment, remembering all the struggles, the ups and downs, and how hard she’d worked to get to where she was. Abundant, fulfilled, completely comfortable with her life, she picked up her pace, feeling somewhat foolish and silly for her thoughts. She laughed, the sound seemingly odd since she was walking alone, no one to hear her. That was okay, too. Life was good. She was happy, Will’s future appeared bright and exciting. The only dark spot in her life was her father. Her mother had died shortly after Lin had moved into Mrs. Turner’s garage apartment. She’d had to read about it in the obituaries. Lin had called her father, asking how her mother had died. He told her she’d fallen down the basement steps. She suspected otherwise but knew it would be useless, possibly even dangerous to her and her unborn child, if she were to pry into the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. She’d tried to establish a relationship with her father on more than one occasion through the years, and each time he’d rebuffed her, telling her she was the devil’s spawn. Her father now resided in Atlanta, in a very upscale nursing home, at her expense. Lin was sure his pure meanness had launched him into early onset Alzheimer’s.

Lin thought it was time for her to proceed at her own leisurely pace, kick back, and totally relax for the first time in a very, very long time.