Maddie put off calling Laura hoping to give them some space and forget the evening even happened. The problem was Laura would try something again. How could she convince her she was absolutely done with Steve? Perhaps if she dated someone else, but she dumped Steve, because she'd had enough of empty relationships. The only men she met were the divorced ones who came to the library with their kids. While some were great for a fantasy or two, she wasn't turning any of their heads in her direction and was fine with that.

Late Tuesday morning the children's area was almost empty. It had been hopping earlier with her story time crowd. The little ones went home for lunch and naps. Maddie wouldn't mind a daily nap. She was picking up because it looked like a hurricane breezed through. Laura approached with her hand over her heart.

"Will you ever forgive me?"

"Only if you never force me to spend time with him again."

"I know Tim gave me an earful. He told me not to, so I've been dealing with him gloating and a lot of 'told you so' comments." Laura frowned.

"Maybe you should listen to your husband occasionally. He is near perfect." Maddie loved Tim. He was a caring husband and amazing father. If she found a guy anything like him, she would hold on to him. She was pretty sure no others existed, because Tim, Peter, and Alex were taken.

"He's not perfect. No man is, but he's close," she said with a smile. "I can see where Steve doesn't come close to Tim."

Laura was friends with Steve's ex-wife, Lisa. Maddie, herself knew more than she ever wanted to about his former marriage, because he talked about it too much.

"Now he can talk disparagingly about me like he does Lisa. I never liked that. Talk about a red flag!"

"I concede. Why had I thought he'd make a better boyfriend than husband? Still, you kept him around long enough."

"My big mistake. I should have sent him packing at the very beginning." Would she be thinner now? She truly believed her relationship with Steve was responsible for all those pounds.

She helped Laura pick out some books for the girls and then her best friend went to volunteer at the school. At lunch, she checked the weather forecast. She had overheard the story time moms talking about snow. How had she not paid attention to the forecast? She was out running with Peter when she used to watch the morning news. Sure enough, snow was on the way. The snow map showed a foot. Reading the details they expected blowing snow, which meant high winds. High winds and high tide often meant the causeway could flood stranding Point residents until the tide receded. She didn't need to stop at the store, but others would flock for bread and milk, but she needed neither.

Every year-round Point resident would be crazy not to have a generator. When ocean storms brewed with high winds, power often went out. Her generator only required a flip of a switch. Others were portable and cumbersome. In the past, Steve would come to stay with her during winter storms, but she felt comfortable to be home alone. On The Point, she was never truly alone.

When she left for the day, she packed up some extra work to take home. The after school kids were discussing the possibility of a snow day. When schools closed, the library probably did too. On her way home, she felt the need to be part of the grapevine. Although she didn't need to, she stopped in at The Landing. Because of her diet, she hadn't had the famous coffee since before the New Year.

Rick, the owner called out, "Maddie! Where have you been? I had to ask Lynn if you were okay."

Maddie laughed, "Tell me you don't know I've been out walking every morning. If so, you're letting me down... letting the whole Point down."

Rick smiled and laughed. "Walking or running?"

"See Rick Jablonski, you can't fool me."

Rick and her father were close friends. Many times, the Evans' entertained the Jablonski's. Rick was also the fish market's best customer. He bought all his lobsters for his award-winning lobster rolls wholesale from her father's business.

"Your father called me to check in on you and I told him you've disappeared."

"You did not and he would have called to taunt you about the warm Florida weather. Did he call today with snow in the forecast?"

"Apparently he had just played nine holes. I'm surprised Ed isn't down there playing with him."

Ed was one of her father's golf partners. The only time her father wasn't behind the counter in the summer was on weekend mornings when he was off with Ed and Dr. Drake. Ed was also the father of Maddie's old boyfriend and Megan, Peter's wife. There was no getting around The Point family. Rick's daughter was Jen, Alex' wife and Jen and Megan were best friends since they were small.

"So what do you think about this storm?"

He had become the resident expert on all things weather. "I think we'll get less than they say. Still, it will mean trouble for high tide. I'd put money on a snow day. Can I get you something?"

She had only stopped in to prove she was alive, but promised to stop by for coffee. Ricky served that best coffee she'd ever tasted, and she missed it. It would be nice to take a break from her green tea occasionally. At home, she turned on the news to see the weather report. Storms always excited Maddie. She enjoyed hunkering down and staying home.

She was eating her dinner and checking the competing forecasts when her phone rang. It surprised Maddie to see it was Steve. She debated not answering it, but she might as well see what he wanted. She answered without a hello. "Steve."

"Maddie honey, why don't I come stay with you for the storm?" he sounded casual as if they were still together.

"Steve, why would you do that?"

"To help. You're all alone."

"I'm fine. I have food, a generator, and a plow guy."

"What about shoveling your walk?"

Occasionally Steve had shoveled for her, but most of the time she did it herself. "I can do it and if not I'll ask the plowing contractor to. He does the fish market too. I can always call Alex if I need help, or Peter or Rick, for that matter. I'm not your responsibility. Just so you're clear, I'm not changing my mind."

She smiled at her assertiveness. Sure she and Steve spent some weekend storms together, but she spent many storms on her own too. She was not afraid of being alone. Her parents raised her to be self-sufficient, so she didn't need a man to take care of her or make her happy.

On Tuesday afternoon, Rory was in a good mood. The talk around school was snow and a possible snow day. She would do anything for a snow day - sleep with her pajamas inside out and with a spoon under her pillow. While she was at school on Tuesday the For Sale sign went up in the yard. It was strange to see, but exciting too. At dinner of real cooked chicken and rice pilaf from a box, Rory asked, "So where are we moving to?"

"I'm not sure. I know you want to be near Mimi, but we really need someplace new."

"I know. My friends have changed anyway." The area where Mimi lived wasn't very nice. That was the reason they moved before. "Can we watch the weather? I want a snow day. The app says there's a ninety-nine percent chance."

"There's an app for snow days?" When Rory showed him, he said, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"You thought of Castleland and now all the dumb girls at school are playing it," Rory said disgustedly.

"Rory, it was your imagination. I made it a reality."

When Rory was little, she liked to pretend with her mother they were princesses and they created an imaginary world. In the car and other times, they would discuss their world. Jack listened and started designing an app based on their imagination. His job was to create boring apps for grown-ups, but he created the game on his own, but he and Adam, his partner, finished it. As soon as it was available it became a hit. They were so excited. Mommy couldn't stop smiling until she did. Rory would never play the game, because it made her think of Mommy. She wanted the next great game to take its place, but at her school, nothing had. Jack didn't care if no one played anymore, because they sold the game for millions and millions. That was why Jack didn't have to work very much.

When Rory woke, it was nine o'clock. She smiled, because it was a snow day. She would have been in science right then. She went downstairs to find Emma playing and Jack cleaning the kitchen.

"Good morning, kiddo. You got your wish."

"What are you doing? Cleaning? You never clean."

"I do too, but I need to do more now we're selling."

"We're gonna be homeless." Rory grabbed a yogurt.

"I'll try to work on that today. Okay?"

"Okay."

She really didn't care, because she would never be happy.

The snow day secretly thrilled Jack. Rory was happier on stay at home days. The snow was just what he needed especially after the day before. The minute they pounded the sign in the yard, the neighbors came out. Three of them rang his doorbell. These were the women who gossiped about Nicole, but pretended to be her best friends at the funeral. These were the women whose children caused Rory to refuse to ride the bus, because they made her miserable. They wanted to know where he was moving and why.

"The house is too big. We haven't decided yet."

One of them wasn't content to stand on the doorstep and pushed her way in. She saw Emma and caused Emma to cry when she went right up to her face. She was a stranger, and she frightened her. He scooped his daughter up, but his visitor didn't apologize or leave. She wanted all the details about their move while she scanned the house. He saw her eyes stop on the empty dining room.

He had enough of the intrusion. "She needs her nap. I'll walk you to the door."

He couldn't move fast enough. They could live with his parents, but that meant Boston schools which Nicole would have never agreed to. He thought of an idea, but it required some research. As soon as Emma went for her nap, he went to his office. Rory was in her room reading. She could spend the day with a book.

He went online and checked out a school district. It met his criteria. The best part was it came with a house available to use. He smiled thinking it could work. Jack thought about Rory being unhappy. The one place he was the happiest during his teen years was The Point. His summers spent at the beach in Maine were the best. It was different in the winter, but his friends had grown up there year round.

He called his mother who had a snow day too, because she taught fifth grade in Boston. His father was a college history professor, and they had spent their summers at The Point for as long as Jack could remember. He hadn't been to Maine in years. He had taken Nicole and Rory for a few weekends. Once he and Adam started the business, he could never find the time.

"Jack dear is Rory happy to be home?" Kelly Harris asked.

"Rory hates school, but she is never happy."

"Poor sweet darling." She loved his daughter.

"Mom, I'm calling with news and a question." Jack jumped right in.

"Oh, what?"

"I've put the house on the market. It's too big and both of us hate it. I didn't know where we should go and then I found a temporary solution." He paused. "Can we go stay at the cottage? We really need to get away?"

"What about school?"

"I did some research. It's a good district. If we hate it, we'll find someplace else before September. I know it's not ideal and I haven't talked to Rory yet."

"We've never used the house in the winter, but it has heat. Megan teaches at the high school. Your Dad is always talking about history with her."

"Who?" Jack wondered why she thought he would know who she was talking about.

"Megan, Drew's younger sister, she lives on The Point with her husband and children."

Jack remembered the pesky little sister with her friend, whose father owned the store.

"So can we, if Rory agrees?"

"Are you sure you want to keep moving schools?"

"It's either that or I homeschool and I'm not sure I'm equipped for that," Jack said with desperation. He'd do anything to help Rory.

"Of course, if it'll help you move on. It'll be crowded this summer."

"I know, but if Rory makes some friends, then a summer at the beach will be perfect. Mine always were."

"Jack, are you taking care of yourself?"

He suspected she and Pam talked. They both worried and he tried to convince them he was getting by and Rory was their only concern. "Mom, I'm fine."

"I can come over and stay with the girls so you can get out. When was the last time you went out with Adam? He's your best friend."

Had his mother been talking to Adam too? "Mom, the last thing I need is to go out drinking. I see Adam once a month when we meet at the office."

He felt more confident about the move idea after talking to his mother. It was definitely not what either he or Rory had in mind when they first talked about moving. To him, the biggest disadvantage was being so far from both Bill and Pam and Boston. A trip to Boston would be doable in one day. The time to his in-laws would double, but with far less traffic.

Jack took a deep breath and climbed the stairs. It was time to talk to Rory.