Chapter 23

Emily had gone out for a short walk. “Before dinner,” she said, but it seemed she’d been gone for hours. When Meeda checked her watch she was surprised; it hadn’t been more than forty minutes. Time didn’t fly here. It walked slowly on teeny tiny feet.

A rather hard knock at the door, and Emily came in with what seemed a cheerful air about her. She left the door open for light.

Meeda was envious of her roommate’s youth, her white cream-colored complexion, her youthful vigor. Something built in at that age. A healthy glow enhanced from a brisk walk in mountain air.

“I wanted to be sure you weren’t resting,” Emily said. “That’s why I knocked.”

“If I had been, which you can see I wasn’t, you’d have woken me anyway. You certainly don’t do anything by halves, do you?”

Emily unwound her dark woolen scarf and unbuttoned her black coat. “Good thing I thought to bring this along. It’s damn chilly up here. How was your nap?”