She remembered a particular day late during her eighth summer. The harvests were short that year and money was tighter than it had ever been, and yet she remembered her father promising her that day that he would take her into town when the harvest was over. That evening, he came for her out of the corn he had been cutting, out of the yellow against the orange sky. Going into town was a big deal then, and this time, though she was sure his feet had ached and his back had stiffened up like a board, he had gotten into his best clothes and taken her to the store for a soda as he had promised. She had felt like a real lady, sitting up there in the front seat of the old Packard with her father on the way home. He had died in 1992, older than his years, the land spent and the cows gone, but she liked to remember him as he was that day, sitting up straight behind the wheel.

As for her own family life, things were looking up now that David had found a job. It was funny, she thought, how quickly things changed. Just a few days ago she had felt like her marriage was being sucked down a giant, spiraling drain, squeezed like a sponge until there was nothing left but a dry carcass. She had gotten another migraine; they had been coming faster lately. After their little fight, she had felt like crying, just burrowing deeper under the covers in the dark bedroom until she found a space away from all the frustrations that were staring her down. And then the phone rang, and in spite of herself she felt that little spark of hope deep in her belly. It had grown hotter when she heard David’s voice, and blossomed into a true feeling of relief and joy when she realized that finally, finally it was over. No more cutting coupons. No more pressing that little sliver of leftover soap into the new bar to save a penny. No more worrying about money. His new salary would be more than enough to make them comfortable.

She remembered meeting David at a luncheon for financial aid recipients at college. Tall and good-looking, with light brown hair and a strong jaw, he had seemed so at ease among the heavyweights of the school, talking and joking, always ready with the right thing to say about grades or future plans or anything asked of him.