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In the aftermath she lay contentedly in his arms as he twirled a lock of her hair around his finger and
brought it to his lips. "I used to dream about you making love to me," she whispered, and felt his soft
laugh against her temple.
"Before we actually did?"
"Before I even met you. I didn't know your name, or even what you looked like."
Ben smiled lazily. "How do you know it was me?"
"Don't be silly. How could I mix you up with some-one else?" She slid a hand over his chest to show him
he was hers to touch whenever she wanted. Ben leaned over her, dark hair falling on his forehead as he
low-ered his mouth to her throat.
"Why don't you show me some of the things we did in those dreams, Mrs. Hunter?" he whispered, his
lips wandering over her skin.
"It might take all night," Addie warned.
"I insist."
And she laughed, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him passionately.
The train had come rumbling into the depot with a hiss of steam and a deafening whistle, exciting Leah to
the point of speechlessness. Since no one in the family believed in long good-byes, they all tried to be
brisk and cheerful. May was the first to move, kissing Cade and admonishing him to behave himself. She
turned to Addie with glassy eyes, and hugged her.
I ll miss you, Mama." Addie said, her throat ach-ing. She breathed in the scent of vanilla and ducked
her head against May's shoulder, not wanting to let her go.
"I'll be happier in North Carolina," May whis-pered. "I belong there, just like you belong here."
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Then May let go of her and turned to Ben, who took her hand and raised it to his lips in an odd and
strangely appropriate gesture. She pressed his hand, the most affection she could bring herself to show
him. "Take care of them," she said, and turned away, as-sisted by the conductor as she boarded the
train.
Addie and Caroline held on to each other, both of them searching for something to say. Addie knew if
she tried to make a sound, she would start bawling and wouldn't be able to stop. She would miss
Caroline more than anyone, even May. Caroline finally cleared her throat and spoke in a tremulous voice.
"Be happy, Adeline. I wilL"
Addie nodded, swallowing painfully as they let go of each other. She returned Peter's perfunctory hug,
then looked down at Leah, whose solemn eyes seemed to read her thoughts. Addie picked up one of the
little girl's perfect braids and smoothed an imaginary wisp of hair in place. She stared at the small face
and wise gray eyes, and in a flash she was lost in a memory . . . curled up with Aunt Leah by the radio,
shrieking with laughter at a comedy show. And then, striding into Leah's bedroom, making the older
woman laugh by singing . . . you're the cream in my coffee . . . Strange, that what they'd once been to
each other, they now would never. But Addie had memories. Maybe that was why it was so hard to let
this Leah go, be-cause of her memories of the other one. She knelt down and put her arms around the
girl. "I love you, Leah," she said, and although she spoke to the child, she was remembering the woman.
"You have a good trip. "
All the good-byes were said and they boarded the train, leaving Addie, Cade, and Ben standing in the
depot. Suddenly Addie knew she didn't want to watch the train pull away, and she turned to Ben with
tears in her eyes and a question hovering on her lips. He smiled before she had to say a word, putting one
arm around her and clapping a hand on Cade's shoulder.
"I've had a sudden inspiration," he said, breaking the solemn mood. "Let's go have lunch somewhere.
And ice cream for dessert. "
"Strawberry," Addie said immediately.
"Vanilla," Cade said at the same time, and they wasted no time in leaving the depot.
When they returned to the ranch it was late after-noon, and Addie flew into the kitchen to start dinner.
She was elbow-deep in flour when Cade came whoop-ing into the house to find her.
"Adeline! Adeline! Guess who I've been talkin' to. Guess who came back!"
"Who?"
"Diaz! He's out on the front porch right now, settin' there like always, gettin' ready to tell a few tall ones."
Distractedly she picked up a rag and wiped her hands on it. "Have you done your homework for
to-morrow?"
"You're sonndin' like Ma already," Cade said, im-mediately disgusted.
"Well, have you?"
He grinned crookedly. "Okay, okay, I'm gettin' to it."
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As he disappeared upstairs, Addie walked out to the front porch. Just as Cade had said, Diaz was out
there, half-reclining on the steps in his usual position.
"Mr. Diaz;" she said, and as he started to move, she gestured for him to stay still. "No, please don't get
up. I was thinking of joining you." He made a show of dusting off a step with his bandanna, and she sat
down. "It's nice to see you here again, Mr. Diaz."
"I'm an old drifter, ma'am. No use fightin' against it."
"How long are you planning to stay?"
When he didn't reply, she smiled, realizing he never knew how long he would stay somewhere or when
he would leave. Folding her hands in her lap, she looked out at the sky, which was streaked with pink
and gold. "Nice sunset," she remarked, and he nodded. They were companionably silent for a few
minutes, watch-ing the sun dip closer to the horizon.
Diaz was the first to speak. "Damn shame about Mr. Warner."
Addie sighed and stared at the ground. "It's hard to forgive myself. I feel . . . responsible."
"How's that?"
"Remember that discussion we had once, about someone having a second chance? About miracles and
being able to . . . go back and change things?"
Diaz nodded slowly.
"I had a second chance," she said, watching cau-tiously for his reaction. He didn't seem surprised or
shocked. "You know, don't you? I don't know how or why, but you understand what happened to me
the day I disappeared and came back. "
"Yes, ma'am."
Was he a crazy old man for believing her? She wasn't sure. No one in his right mind should accept that
she'd been transferred to the future and back. Certainly it was a secret she would always have to keep
from Ben, who would think she'd gone out of her mind if she tried to tell him. But she knew Diaz
understood, whether it was because of his age, his superstitious nature, innate wisdom or maybe even
senility.
"I'm responsible for not having saved Russell," she said, unburdening herself further. "I knew about it
beforehand. I should have been able to stop it."
"Maybe you weren't supposed to," Diaz said matter-of-factly. "Maybe you were just supposed to save
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