Eleanor went upstairs first to put herptop away. She sat down to check her


    emails; Ryan and Callie had produced new data today, and she was eager to see it.


    Fifteen minutester,n appeared at the study door. "The noodle soup is ready. You cane down and eat."


    Eleanor looked up from the screen. "I''ll be right down."


    Eleanor followedn downstairs, one after the other. Joslyn was just bringing out her special side dishes, perfect for eating with noodles.


    Both bowls of noodles were topped with two fried eggs, and the broth was rich and looked delicious.


    Eleanor sat down and began eating quietly. Across from her,n also ate without conversation, each of them finishing their meal.


    In the kitchen, Joslyn wiped down the counter, ncing back at the scene in the dining room. It felt so familiar.


    After dinner,n left first. He had to bring Evelyn home before nine.


    Eleanor settled into her work for the evening.


    At nine-thirty, Evelyn came home, cheerful and skipping. She was now in the senior ss of kindergarten, having just turned six years and three months old. When she started elementary school in September, she would be exactly six years and seven months old.


    "Mommy! I''m home!" Evelyn called out for her mother as soon as she entered. Eleanor came down the stairs. "Mommy''s right here!"


    After Evelyn ran over to hug her legs affectionately, she went to pull on her father''s hand. "Daddy, y with me."


    "Evelyn, it''s gettingte. Let your daddy go rest," Eleanor told her daughter. "You should get ready for your bath too."


    Evelyn pouted, not having had her fill of fun. "Can Daddy just y with me for a little longer?"


    Before Eleanor could say anything else,n had already agreed. "Okay, Daddy will y with you for another twenty minutes. We''ll try to get you in bed by ten-ten."


    "Okay!" Evelyn nodded happily.


    The robot her father had once given her could talk and y with her, but what she truly wanted was the warm and realpanionship of her parents.


    Eleanor watched them head towards the yroom and sighed softly. But she was gratefuln was here; otherwise, torn between work and her daughter, she would have a hard te bncing her priorities.


    The next morning,n took Evelyn to school on time, and Eleanor got ready and drove to theb.


    While waiting at the first red light, her car''s hands-free phone rang. It was Joy Thatcher.


    "Hey, Joy," Eleanor answered cheerfully.


    "Did you just get back from a business tripst night?"


    "I went to Kingston for a meeting," Eleanor said, then added with some surprise, "How did you know?"


    "How did I know? I saw it with my own eyes, of course! Today''s top entertainment headline is a picture ofn picking you up at the airport It''s a very clear shot. He''s carrying yourptop bag for you, so thoughtful. Thements are all specting that you two are getting back together!"


    Eleanor''s hand on the steering wheel tightened slightly, and her brow furrowed. She hadn''t expected to be photographed by the mediast night.


    "So let me interview the person involved. Are you two really getting married again?" Joy''s tone was full of gossip.


    "No, it was just a friend picking another friend up from the airport," Eleanor tried to exin.


    Joy clearly didn''t believe her, her voice dripping with teasing. "I looked at the photos carefully. The way you look at him, there''s no more hatred. And the way he looks at you is so gentle."


    Eleanor was at a loss for words. Joy was awyer, after all, with a keen sense of observation; a simple exnation wouldn''t satisfy her.


    The light turned green. Eleanor


    pressed the elerator while


    saying, "Alright, it''s true we''re not at


    each other''s throats like before.


    We''re facing some things together,


    and because of my work, he''s


    looking after Evelyn."