There she is! Billy thought he might have to force himself to smile when he saw her, but that was always genuine. He gladly burrowed into her arms, smiling down at the sweet face he was so fond of. She seemed at peace, and secretly he envied that.

"We're not too far from home, remember? Just across the river. I was heading there to do my working from home. I thought I'd take the scenic route. And I heard your voice, and I wanted to wait for you."

He shifted his eyes guiltily. "How do you know?"