“Here’s what I want you to know: I loved my life. For so long I was waiting for it to start, waiting for more. It seemed like all I did was drive and shop and wait. But you know what? I didn’t miss a thing with my family. Not a moment. I was there for all of it. That’s what I’ll remember, and they’ll have each other.”

“Yes.”

“I’m worried about you, though,” Kate said.

“You would be.”

“You’re afraid of love, but you’ve got so much of it to give.”

“I know I’ve spent a lot of years whining about being alone, and I’ve had a history of hooking up with inappropriate or unavailable men, but the truth is my career has been my love, and mostly it’s been enough. I’ve been happy. It’s important to me that you know that.”

Kate gave her a tired smile. “I’m proud of you, you know. Have I told you that often enough?”

“And I’m proud of you.” Tully looked at her best friend, and in that one look, thirty plus years crowded in between them, reminded them both of the girls they’d been and the dreams they’d shared, and of the women they’d become. “We’ve done all right, haven’t we?”

Before Kate could answer, the auditorium doors banged open and people streamed in.

Johnny, Mom, Dad, and the boys took their seats just as the house lights flickered.

Then the stage lights came on, the heavy red velvet curtains parted slowly, dragging across the wooden stage at their hem, and revealing the poorly painted set of a small town.

Marah walked onstage, dressed in a high school drama version of a nineteenth century gown.

When Marah began to speak, it was magic.

There was no other word for it.

Kate felt Tully’s hand close over hers, squeeze gently. When Marah walked offstage, to a standing ovation, Kate’s heart swelled with pride. She leaned against Tully and whispered, “Now I know why I gave her your middle name.”

Tully turned to her. “Why?”

Kate tried to smile, but couldn’t. It took almost a full minute before she could find enough voice to say, “Because she’s the best of both of us.”

The end came on a bleak and rainy October night. With everyone she loved standing around her bed, she said goodbye to them one by one, whispering one last special thing to each of them. Then, as rain hit the window and darkness fell, she closed her eyes for the last time.

Kate’s last To Do list concerned her funeral and Tully followed it to the letter. The Catholic church on the island was filled with photographs and flowers and friends. Not surprisingly, Kate had chosen Tully’s favorite flowers rather than her own.