Clara stood on the porch with a mug of coffee between her hands.

She wore a soft sweater, and a breeze moved the hem against the railing.

The butter-yellow siding caught the light.

Hydrangeas grew along the front of the house.

Beyond them, the long driveway bore chalk suns, stick figures, and race cars whose wheels were larger than the people driving them.

Oliver and Lucas were playing tag.

They were five now, healthy, energetic boys with very strong opinions about who had started the game and whether one person could declare himself safe beside a tree.

Oliver made a dinosaur noise and chased Lucas around the oak.