Waking early, Maddie felt good that she had a new plan to improve herself. She bundled up to go for a walk. She had just set out when she heard fast approaching footsteps. Turning around, she saw Peter Brenner running towards her.

"I thought I was the only crazy person out here." Maddie could see his breath in the cold.

"You know new year, new resolution."

"Good for you! Do you want to run with me? Just as far as you can. I'll go slow." He encouraged her.

"I'm not sure." Still, she fell into a jog next to him. She lasted halfway down the street and slowed to a walk and called out to him. "I'm done. Bye Peter."

He waved as he ran off. Maddie was out of breath and the cold air burned her lungs, but she felt remarkably good. She didn't know she could run two feet never mind down the street. She continued her walk and then prepared for work. She held her breath as she squeezed into her pants that were much too tight. They would never be any tighter, if she kept at it. She packed a lunch which she hadn't done in a while.

Arriving at the library, she greeted her co-workers and went to the children's section. Looking at the books, Maddie felt at home. She loved them all, but especially new ones because of their smell and pristine condition. Still, there was something about a well-read tattered book. Her day was busy, and she didn't go into the backroom to find the table loaded with candy and goodies until late morning. She suspected others had cleaned out their holiday treats. She turned around and walked away. She ate her packed lunch and was satisfied. Glancing at the clock it was one-forty-five. She was reviewing the circulation statistics and knew by two-thirty, she would be overrun with middle school students. She had her book group today, but she spent most afternoons babysitting kids who used the library as their after-school care.

When she left work at six, she spent her drive home planning the healthy meal she would prepare for herself. Her biggest obstacle came after dinner when she longed for something sweet. If she looked she would find something, she didn't throw out. Instead, she called her parents in Florida hoping she would forget the urge. After an exchange about their respective weather, she told her mother that she broke up with Steve.

"Dear, you'll find the right one. I'm sure of it." Judy Evans sounded concerned.

"Mom, I'm happy to be single. I'm sorry, but your dream of being a grandmother has a slim chance of coming true."

"Women are having babies much older nowadays, don't give up yet."

Maddie was glad her mother couldn't see her roll her eyes. Truthfully she was never opposed to motherhood but never had an overly strong yearning. She had a very quiet biological clock, and the ticking didn't bother her. Years ago Maddie had envisioned herself becoming a wife and mother. She had dated Drew in high school, but they parted as friends when he went to school in California. In college, she had a few brief relationships although none were serious. It was in her mid-twenties that she dated Jeff for two years. She assumed they were heading towards marriage when Jeff was actually heading to Texas where he moved without warning. It was a shock but she felt more foolish than anything. Because she was still young, she missed having someone to go out with. She dated some other men before she met Steve, but looking back now she realized she had never been in love and regretted it.

The following morning, she set out for her walk and once again Peter ran up behind her. "Good morning." He smiled and motioned to her. "Come on."

She set into a jog beside him. She would soon be out of breath. "I was planning to ask either you or Alex to help me drag my tree outside."

"I'll get Alex and we'll do it for you. When do you get home?"

"After six." She was out of breath, but had passed the point she stopped the day before. She continued a little further and was panting.

Peter smiled and waved and sped off. Catching her breath, she continued to walk. By the time, she passed Peter's street, she assumed he was home getting ready for work and the twins ready for school. Peter and his twins had been three of her favorite Saturday morning story hour participants. Occasionally he or his wife, Megan would bring their youngest Abbie, but the twins' activities kept their weekends busy.

She didn't need to be in until ten, so after she was ready for work, she stopped over at the fish market. Her cousin, Lynn was behind the counter.

"Hey, I haven't seen you since Christmas."

"I know. I'm eating healthier for a change."

"Good for you. So what can I get you?"

"Haddock, but just a half of a pound. I'm not a good customer."

"You're not feeding Steve?"

"No, I'm embracing solitude. I sent him packing."

"You and I can be the spinster cousins." Lynn laughed.

Billy, a fisherman who moored at The Point overheard their conversation. "The prettiest pair of spinsters I've ever seen."

Maddie laughed, but Lynn blushed. "Huh, I wonder." Maddie commented under her breath as she left with her package of fish.

The most eventful moment of her workday was finding a piece of chocolate in her desk. She barely contemplated it before she popped it in her mouth. It was good - really good, but she would not let it sabotage her. When she left work, she had a text from Jen, Alex's wife, stating, tree help at 7. Ok?

She replied, Yes. Thanks.

That gave her time to make and eat her dinner. She had taken the ornaments and lights off the day before. The tree buying and decorating was a family event with her parents who always came back from Florida for a week at Christmas. In years past they would go to a local tree farm and cut their own, but this year they bought it at the Rotary Club lot. The proceeds went to needy causes around town. Steve helped, although he did more eggnog drinking and talking than participating. Every Christmas Eve, they had a big open house with all their neighbors. It was an event on The Point. On Christmas day, Lynn and her parents came for dinner. Again Steve was there. Lynn's father, Uncle Carl was Maddie's mother's brother. Lynn grew up in town, but Aunt Sharon brought her to the beach almost every day. Then when she was old enough, she started working at the fish market and never left. She went to community college and took business courses, but was thrilled when Todd Evans asked her to manage the business while he spent his winters in Florida. In the summer, Maddie's Dad, Todd, came out of retirement and was behind the counter almost every day.

Peter and Alex arrived at seven. Maddie would be blind if she didn't admire how handsome they both were. More than handsome, they were caring individuals and wonderful husbands too. Peter was also an incredible father. You couldn't live on The Point and not know how much he loved his wife and three children. Maddie suspected since their wedding was last September, it was just a matter of time before Alex became a father too.

They had the tree out her door in a matter of minutes. She hollered out into the cold night air. "Thank you."

Peter hollered back. "See you in the morning."

She smiled.

Rory kept thinking about the conversation at dinner. Did she want to move? She never answered him. Could they laugh again? Not that they never laughed. Living with Emma it was impossible not to. Still, the laughter always led to the thought Mommy was missing the moment. Mimi said that Mom was watching them. Jack said that she'd want them to be happy.

When they moved, Rory was miserable at her new school, and her mom was sad because she was. She overheard her one night talking to Jack. She had said she made a mistake picking this house and this town. Jack had told her they couldn't have known, and then he had laughed. "Lord, they really are a bunch of stuck up snobs." Mom had pretended to be shocked. Jack had cheered her up, and when she snuck away, they were kissing.

They would kiss a lot which was what led to Emma. At fourteen, Rory knew everything about everything and more.

School was miserable as always. She did alright, but not great. Mostly she had trouble concentrating, but it wasn't like that when Mom was alive. Rory would always think about her mother and worry she might cry. She spent a lot of time in the bathroom. All her teachers just sent her to the school counselor. Between the school counselor and Courtney, who Jack paid for, she was counseled out. Well not really, because none of them had figured out how to make her happy again. She recently was sitting outside the school counselor's door while Jack was inside.

The counselor said, "It's been what a year and a half, you'd think she'd be making some progress."

Jack responded, "I think that about myself every day. You need to know we are trying." Trying, Jack liked that word. We have to keep trying, he'd remind her.

When the kids on the bus were being mean, she lashed out at them. "You can all go to hell. I'm moving away from here." Some looked shocked that she finally spoke up. Others smiled probably knowing they would like the new neighbors better.

She came home and slammed the door. Mom would have yelled at her, but Jack was afraid to. He knocked on her door. "That bad, huh?"

"Yup. Do I have to take the bus?"

"I drive you in the morning, but the afternoon messes with naptime. We don't want the only happy Harris to be fussy, do we?"

Rory tried not to smile, but he was funny. He was also honest. He told her why things were and never did that just because parent thing. Still, that didn't solve her bus problem.

She thought a minute and suggested. "Can I walk over to the library? Then you can pick me up after Emma wakes up."

She actually smiled when Jack agreed. It felt odd like her skin forgot how to move that way. The library was one of her favorite places. Even though she went with her mother, it was not depressing. She loved books and had since forever. When she wasn't watching movies or TV on her iPad, she was reading. That was the only time she could concentrate and escape.

He spent every minute he wasn't grieving worrying about Rory. Today when she smiled, he felt his heart get a tiny bit lighter. He would do anything for her and if it meant bundling up Emma and strapping her in the car twice a day, then that was what he'd do. Rory loved the library and the staff in the children's department loved her, even though they'd only lived there for two years. At the old library, they'd known Rory since she was a baby. When he went there with her, Mrs. Green would call him Rory's Dad. He secretly liked that. He occasionally took Emma to story time, but the staff in their new library called him by name. He knew they knew - everyone knew their story. Still, he was glad they looked out for Rory. She needed all the love and acceptance she could get and he tried, no matter how much she pushed back. If they moved away, Rory might miss this library, but Jack was more and more convinced they both needed a change.

For whatever reason, their evening was peaceful - almost normal. After Emma was in bed and Rory had retreated to her room, Jack should have been working, but instead, he started researching school districts. Other than grandparents there was nothing keeping them local. As long as he was close enough to get to Boston once a month, he could live anywhere. He knew Rory wanted to move back near her Mimi and Pop, but there was a reason why they moved aside from the sperm donor. Nicole wanted to give her children more opportunities than she had and the schools in their old town struggled for funding. The area had become even more depressed in the nineties when all the factories closed and moved their manufacturing to China. Then the housing crisis and recession ten years later left it gasping for economic breath. Add the social and drug issues of today and he was not keen to live near there again, but Rory might not understand. He had to honor Nicole's wishes by keeping Rory in a good school district. The problem was that every top-rated school came with a wealthy, non-diverse community, like where they were. Rory just didn't fit in with that crowd. She cared more about books than trips to the mall for clothes. He would buy her any of the latest fashions if they would make her happy, but possessions would never replace her mother.

The following afternoon, he picked Rory up at the library and drove to her scheduled appointment with Courtney, her counselor. He had left a message with Courtney earlier that they were considering a move. Courtney could help Rory hash out her feelings. Jack sat in the waiting room, well he sat when he wasn't chasing Emma. She liked to move. If he wasn't quick enough, she'd be behind the receptionist's desk. Luckily, Tammy, the receptionist had known Emma since she was an infant and didn't seem to mind.

He'd always apologize, but Tammy would brush him off. "She's just visiting." Often she'd comment when hers were little they never stayed put. He felt sympathy in every exchange and wondered what it would be like to live someplace where everyone didn't know the details of their loss.

Courtney poked her head out and invited him in. Scooping up Emma, he entered her office. Emma squirmed, but he held on to her.

Courtney said, "Rory asked me to speak to you. She was concerned about leaving the house because her mother loved it. We talked about it and decided her mother loved her more than the house and would want her to be happy."

Jack nodded in agreement as he mentally willed himself not to get emotional. Courtney continued. "She's also concerned that she won't like the next place any better than here. I told her that perhaps your next move need not be permanent until you're certain."

Jack listened and thought, as hard as changing schools may be for Rory, being miserable would be worse. He responded, "That seems fair. We could rent instead of buy. Rory, honey, does that mean you'd consider moving?"

She spoke for the first time. "I really hate my school. Anything would be better."

He felt a bit lighter, and he smiled. Courtney said, "If you go too far, I will miss you, but I'd be happy to help with the transition to someone new."

In the car on the way home, Jack asked, "Are you sure, kiddo?"

"I dunno, but knowing if it's awful, we can leave helps."

"Should I contact the real estate agent?"

"I guess." That seemed to be as much affirmation as she could muster. Before bringing in an agent, he would need to hire a cleaning service. Suddenly he felt like he had a lot to do and deciding where to move was on his short list.