WE HESITATED A MINUTE, LOOKING BACK. OVER THE TOP OF THE DUNES WE COULD JUST BARELY SEE THE WATER GLISTENING. UNCERTAINLY | MOVED AWAY, ALREADY FEELING A SADNESS REPLACING THE TURMOIL WITHIN ME. SHE REACHED MY SIDE AND GRASPED MY HAND AND I FELT THE COOL IMPRINT OF A KEY IN MY PALM. I LOOKED AT THE KEY, THEN TO HER, BUT SHE HAD ALREADY CONE THE FEW STEPS TO HER CAR AND OPENED THE DOOR. I FOLLOWED, SADNESS AND INDECISION EBBING.

WE BOTH LAUGHED AS I GOT IN AND STARTED THE CAR. SHE LOOKED ONLY BRIEFLY AT THE LUGGAGE IN THE REAR BEFORE NESTLING CLOSE TO ME, AND I KNEW OUR DRIVE BACK TO THE VILLAGE WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE THOUGHT OF WHAT SHE HAD SAID EARLIER: "IF THERE'S LOVE, IT CAN BE."

1. A. BARTEL

READERS RESPOND

"I FEEL A LITTLE LIKE THE PRODIGAL CHILD WHO HAS COME HOME AT LAST AFTER YEARS OF DESERTION; AND THOUGH IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK IN THE FOLD, I AM UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT IT AND FRIGHTENED BY THE LONG ABSENCE THAT HAS MADE THE FAMILIAR SEEM SO STRANGE.

"AND I WONDER, TOO, IF I EVEN QUALIFY AS A SUBSCRIBER, FOR, | THOUGH I AM YEARS PAST 21, I AM ALSO A WIFE AND THE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN, WHICH MAKES ME A SORT OF PARIAH'S PARIAH, DOESN'T IT, IN THE TWILIGHT WORLD?

"STILL, IF THIS IS ANY RECOMMENDATION (AND IF IT ISN'T, AT LEAST IT'S A FUNNY STORY) I'VE JUST SPENT 14 MONTHS ATTENDING THE FAMILY GUIDANCE CLINIC. AT THE END OF MY LAST CONSULTATION, THE COUNSELOR THREW UP HIS ARMS IN HOPELESS (AND HIGHLY UNETHICAL) FRUSTRATION AND CROAKED: 'ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY HOURS OF THIS AND I CAN'T EVEN MAKE YOU DOUBLE-GAITED!' AND HE GAVE ME THE LADDER'S ADDRESS AS A GOING-AWAY PRESENT!"

E, M., FLORIDA

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