Lucy left Bill in the line of parishioners waiting to greet the minister and, taking Sara with her, went to find Toby and Elizabeth. Truth be told, she always felt awkward around large male authority figures like Dave and could never think of anything to say to him.

Back home and changed out of their Sunday best into jeans, Lucy and Bill made lunch and planned the rest of the day. Since the weather was so beautiful, they decided to take turns staying with the kids and going out for a run. Once the dishes were washed, Lucy put on her sweat pants and running shoes and headed out alone along the network of dirt roads that crisscrossed the woods. They were originally made by early settlers who cut timber for firewood, but nowadays they also led to hunting and fishing camps. They were ideal for a peaceful jog when the weather was warm; once the ground was covered with snow they were perfect for cross-country skiing. Today Lucy stood for a while on the back porch, taking a few deep breaths and deciding which route to take. Because she hadn’t been running much lately, she decided on an easy four-mile loop without hills that went around Erskine’s Pond. She did her stretches and set out, enjoying the bright sunshine and mild weather. The last few winters had followed a pattern of mild weather until Christmas; then once the holidays were over, bitter cold and heavy snow storms set in. It seemed as if this year was going to be no exception.

Once she got past the mile mark—an old Chevy truck that someone had left to rust in the woods—Lucy found her stride. The first mile was always the hardest, but she’d learned that if she didn’t give up, the rest was easy. She felt as if she could run forever along these soft roads, smelling the sharp, piny scent of the trees and catching glimpses of the pond sparkling through the trees. Problems and anxieties receded, leaving nothing but the pounding of her heart, the rhythmic in and out of her breath, and the regular thud of her feet on the path. All too soon she saw the tall, narrow chimney of their house, and rounding the bend, she saw Bill and the kids in the yard. Bill and Toby were tossing a football back and forth, and the girls were mixing up pine cone and stone soup. Lucy cooled down by walking around the house and then went in for a drink of water and a shower. As she closed the door she saw Bill wave as he started off on his run.