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helping his father on the fishing boat.
    Eric Severson, my first lover.
    She found his handwriting on the flyleaf at the end of the book.
    Dear Maggie,
    I never would have guessed at the beginning of this year how hard it’d be to write this to you. What a great year we had together. I remember that first night I asked if I could take you home, and when you said yes, I thought, Maggie Pearson with me, Wow!! And now look at us, graduating with a million memories. I’ll never forget that first dance when you told me not to chew gum in your ear, and the first time I kissed you on the snowmobile trail down below Old Bluff Road, and all the times when coach Gilbert would be talking to us guys during the time-outs and I’d sneak a look at you on the other side of the gym while you were cheering. I liked you for a long time before I got up enough nerve to ask you out, and now I only wish I’d asked you about three years sooner. I’m going to miss you to beat hell this l when I’m at
Stout
State
, but we’ve got a date Thanksgiving in The Door, and for Christmas, too. never forget the day after the prom on the Mary De and the night in old man Eastley’s orchard. Don’t Felicity and Aaron, and we’ve got a date in the spring ‘69 to talk about you know what. Keep wearing (but only when you got a date at home with me). I saw a woman who looked so great in pink. I’ll never forget you, Maggie M’girl.
    Lots of love,
    Eric
     
    Felicity and Aaron - the names they had picked for future children. Heavens, she’d forgotten. And the date the spring when they had agreed to talk about getting married. And how he’d always favoured her in pink, and his own special endearment, Maggie M’girl.
    Remembering him, she was gripped by nostalgia. ing back on those giddy days through the perspective maturity she thought, Brookie is right. He’s happily married to a very beautiful wife, and we’re all grown up now: How could a call from a girl twenty-three years in past threaten either his marriage or my well-being? It’ll be a friendly hello, that’s all.
    Following Dr Feldstein’s orders, Maggie picked up phone and dialled.
     
     
     
    Chapter 2
     
     
    The phone jarred Eric Severson out of a sound sleep. Beside him, Nancy numbled and rolled over as he reached for the nightstand and answered in the dark.
    ‘Hui -‘ He cleared his throat. ‘Hullo?’
    ‘Hello, is this Eric Severson?’
    ‘Who’s this?’ he asked ungraciously, peering at the red numbers on the digital clock.
    ‘It’s Margaret Stearn... ah, Pearson.’
    ‘Who?’
    Nancy thumped a hip into the mattress and gave the covers an irritated jerk. ‘Who in the world is calling at this hour of the night?’
    ‘It’s Maggie, Eric,’ the woman on the phone said. “Maggie Pearson?’
    ‘Mag -‘ He struggled to think who Maggie Pearson was. ‘Oh, I woke you, didn’t I? I’m really sorry. How thoughtless of me. But I’m in Seattle and it’s only
nine o’clock
here. Listen, Eric, I’ll call some other time during the day when ‘
    ‘No, it’s all right. Who... Maggie? You mean Maggie Pearson from Gibraltar High? Class of’65?’ He recognized her laughter and settled onto his back, wider awake. ‘Well, I’ll be damned.’
    Nancy rolled over and asked, Who is it?’
    Shielding the mouthpiece, he answered. ‘A girl I went to school with, Maggie Pearson.’
    ‘Oh, great,’ Nancy grumbled and rolled away again. ‘There’s someone with you?’
    Into the phone Eric said, ‘Yes, my wife.’
    ‘I really am sorry, Eric. It was an impetuous call, anyway.
    Please apologize to your wife for my waking her and go back to sleep, both of you.’
    ‘Wait a minute!’ he ordered, sitting up, dropping his feet over the edge of the bed. ‘Maggie?”
    ‘Yes?’
    I’ll change phones. Hang on a minute.’ He rose in the dark, flipped the covers over, leaned on them with both hands and kissed Nancy ’s cheek. ‘Hang this up when I get downstairs, will you,