Headlights came up fast behind her. It was a truck keeping a schedule and he pulled out and passed her going seventy. She was glad for the company and she didn’t want to lose him, but she made herself keep to sixty and the truck’s taillights pulled away and disappeared up the road.

It was after ten when she got to Sutter Lane. The street was empty and her house was dark. She pulled into the driveway and turned off the motor. Leah woke up and Rachel lifted her out of her seat onto the lawn. The house looked deserted, then the door opened and Levy came running out to them. He was in his shirt-­sleeves, his hair was a mess, and he looked like he’d been crying. Leah squealed with delight when she saw him. She reached out for him and he picked her up, then put her down and threw his arms around Rachel. He kissed her cheeks and nose. He kissed her hair and hugged her so tightly she could barely breathe.

“You came back,” he said.

Suddenly she laughed and hugged him, too. This was home and she was glad to be back. She hugged him again and had trouble letting him go. “Of course I came back,” she said. “I live here.”