I thought again of their family circle and felt the sharp ache of emptiness I thought I had grown accustomed to.

A child stood looking with wistful eyes at the toys in the window.

A flash of red hair flew in front of her face. Her heart leaped for a moment, then flattened when she realized that it wasn' t Fiona.

I cleared my throat. I got up, rummaged through a drawer of old washers, and found a pack of Camels I'd stashed for mornings when I felt lost without bourbon.

And any argument between us would not cause me to lose heart or feel a sense of loss.