Page 50 of Spindrift

“Dependson how much time I have. Anywhere between three and six, and longer if I’mtraining for a race.”

Emilianoted the runner’s gleam in Lillian’s eyes. “I usually call it quits at five,”she admitted.

“Let’sdo three and see how we feel?”

Emilianodded and hoped she didn’t slow Lillian down.

Shestopped worrying after the first mile. They ran well together, and to Emilia’srelief Lillian kept the conversation to a minimum, allowing Emilia to take inher surroundings. Lillian led them along a paved road at first and then onto adirt one. Wildflowers bloomed alongside the gravelly edge. Beyond, the treesopened onto marshland. Tall reeds and salt grasses blew in the late afternoonwind. They startled a heron as the road curved deeper into the marsh. Its wingsspread as it took flight. Sunlight sparkled on the water shining through thegrass.

“Ibet this road floods,” she said to Lillian over the crunch of their shoes,because to comment on its beauty seemed somehow inadequate.

“Allthe time.”

Shefelt, rather than saw, the gradual incline as her calves burned. Grass fell awayto one side as granite appeared beneath the mud flats. After another half mile,she could see the river and the distant harbor, along with summer housespeering out of the pines. Nell’s tongue lolled and sweat poured down Emilia’sface. Lillian ran on. Sunlight shone off her bronzed skin, which was as slickas Emilia’s from exertion.

Anothermile brought them down again. Emilia recognized the stretch of paved road fromher hunt for a hardware store, and the houses and farms they passed rose out ofemerald green yards. Hard to imagine winter, she thought, catching the scent oflilacs on the wind.

Lillianslowed to a walk just as Emilia sensed her own stamina flagging for good.

“Whew,”Lillian said with an exhilarated laugh. “Good, right?”

“Sogood.” She ruffled Nell’s ears. “How far is that loop?”

“Justover four miles.”

“Itsounded like you’re the only runner in the house.”

“Yeah.Angie and Stevie will use the treadmill in the winter sometimes.”

“NotMorgan?”

“Morganlikes to do things. Deadlift sheep, or whatever.”

Emilialaughed at the image.

“Itreally isn’t fair, though,” Lillian continued. “I bust my butt and she does onepush-up and gets ripped.”

“Istill can’t believe you all live and work together.”

“Wedon’t really. Stevie and Morgan are hardly ever home. I see Angie a lot, butshe’s got the kennel, and I can hide in the greenhouse when I need a break.”

“AndStevie and Morgan don’t fight?”

“Oh,they do. But they’ve known each other since elementary school, and they canwork together even when they’re angry.”

“Icouldn’t do that.”

“Meneither. Sometimes I’m even glad my boyfriend is four hours away.”

Thefarmhouse came into view a quarter mile up the road. Emilia didn’t see thetruck now, either.

“Howlong have you worked at Seal Cove?”

“Twoyears. I went to school with Morgan—I think I told you that already—and she gota job here right after graduation. I specialized in exotics, and Morganconvinced me to come here once I passed my boards.”

“Didyou know each other before Cornell?”

“No.I’m from Bath, and she’s from a little farther up the coast. Both of us sworewe’d never come back to Maine.” She shook her head. “You can see how well thatturned out.”

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