Her answer came after a pause, a quick glance away to the table they had occupied as a family during their summers at the Inn. “My father lives in Florida. He’s still healthy, still active.” She paused again and looked back at me. “My mother died six months ago.”

“I’m sorry,” I told her.

She did not respond. A sadness wandered across her face.

After lunch, Carter announced that he was late for a meeting. He hugged Amy quickly, whispering something private to her. She smiled and nodded and Carter rushed away, crowing his praise of the lunch to Sammy and Lila.

“The two of you, go visit,” Lila commanded.

“Why don’t we all go for a walk?” Sammy suggested cheerfully. “It’s nice out.”

“My God, Sammy, where are your manners?” Lila said. “Leave them alone.”

“Jesus, Lila, you don’t have to snap my head off,” Sammy complained. “I thought if Amy wanted to see—”

“Sammy, you can be a real pain in the ass. Do you know that?” Lila hissed.

Sammy blushed with anger.

“I don’t have much time,” Amy said.

“You’re not going back to the city today, are you?” I asked.

“No. I have to meet some people,” she answered. “I own a house near Shandaken. I’m having some work done on it.”

“You do?” I said. “You have a house here?”

“It belonged to my mother. She left it to me.”

“Go, go, you two. Have fun,” urged Lila, motioning us out of the dining room. She looked at me. “After all these years, you’ve got some catching up to do.”

We walked outside into the warm sun-bright day. Down the street, the girl of the jumping rope and the bicycle was tossing a ball against the side of the abandoned fire station. The thump of the ball was the only sound in the village.

“Where to?” I asked.

“Why don’t we just walk,” Amy suggested.

“Like the old people used to?” I said.

“Yes. Like the old people.”

She slipped her arm into the cradle of my arm and we began our slow walk down through the village.

She said after a moment, “Do you get the feeling that he’s still here with us?”

“Avrum?”

She nodded.

“I’m sure he is,” I said. Then: “You left the book of poems at the Home, didn’t you?”

She nodded again.

“When did you get it?”

“Last year. He gave it to me.”

“You saw him?” I said in surprise.