“Winter’s coming on fast.”

“Are we still good, Nate?” Jeff asked, his voice barely carrying over the wind in the front yard.

“We’re fine,” Nate said.

“You two get those kids home before the frost hits the windshields.”

Ron took Judy by the elbow and helped her up from the top porch step.

She kept the blue check tucked in her palm, her handbag hanging forgotten from her forearm.

“We’ll be heading back north,” Ron said, his loud voice shrunk to a flat murmur.