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doing that. "No cold. I'm just missing you and Kikit."
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    Barbara Delinsky - A Woman's Place
    "When are you coming home?"
    "I'm trying to figure that out. I'll let you know as soon as I do."
    "Here's Grandma."
    "I love you, Johnny," I rushed out to catch him before he passed on the phone.
    A chipper Elizabeth came on the line. "Well, hello, Claire. How are you?
    You missed a good supper. The children had pizza, and Howard and I had pasta. Bertucci's is a national chain, I believe. Have you seen one in Santa Fe? How lucky you are to be there. Everyone I know who goes there loves it. There can't be any better place to open a new store."
    "Claire?" came Howard's voice. "I'm in my den, Claire. Elizabeth, hang up the phone."
    "I will. Oh dear." There was a ruckus in the background. "Wait, wait, wait."
    Kikit came back on. "We were singing last night--"Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog'--and Daddy was so funny when he croaked, only it wasn't the same without you. I miss you, Mommy. When are you coming home?" My breath went short again. Singing was a Raphael thing. Dennis and I had shared a single year in the same a capella group in college, his senior year, my freshman year. We had met singing, had dated singing. Some of the kids' earliest memories were of our singing together. Bedtime, car time, holidays --perfect for harmonizing, for feeling close without saying the words. When the kids were infants, most anything with a soothing lilt worked. The lyrics came to matter more as they grew and joined in. Both loved singing. Both could hold a tune. Johnny was at the stage where he was wanting to deepen his voice--it was priceless to watch him with his chin on his chest and his brow furrowed-so the harmony suffered at times. Still, singing together was special. We hadn't done it as much lately as we used to. Either Dennis was away, or I was away, or one of the kids was out doing something else. Sometimes, three of us improvised when the fourth wasn't there. But this was different. This time Dennis had sung with the kids, knowing that he was about to boot their mother out of the house.
    When was I coming home? I only wished I knew. "As soon as I can, baby, as soon as I can. I'll talk with you soon, okay, sweetie?"
    "I love you, Mommy."
    The pain was excruciating. Fresh tears flowed. It was all I could do not to let her hear them. "I love you, too, baby." Brody paused from wiping his neck with a towel to touch my face. He looked as tortured as I felt.
    Elizabeth returned. "You have a good trip now, Claire. Yes, Johnny, I do have change. I have all kinds of change. Come, you'll count it out. Take care, Claire."
    There was a click, then only the faint rattle of Howard's breathing. He was clearly out of earshot of the kids. "Are you all right?" he asked.
    "No, I'm not," I wailed and took a minute to recompose myself. "I'm sick about this. Do you know what's going on?"
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    Barbara Delinsky - A Woman's Place
    "Dennis wants a divorce."
    "Did he tell you about the Order to Vacate?" There was a pause, then a reluctant, "Yes. Look, Claire, I don't care for the method he's chosen, but Dennis is like this when he takes up a cause. He dives into it headfirst."
    "I know. I've watched him do it and seen him fail. This time the stakes are higher. I'm worried about the kids." But I was reassured having talked with them. They sounded all right. I was glad I had called.
    "Kikit sounds all right. Is she clingy?"
    "A little, but you know Elizabeth and me. We never mind that."
    "Is she sleeping all right?"
    "Dennis says they are."
    "Do they know any of what he's doing?"
    "No."
    "Suspect anything?"
    "No. He's been good about that, I have to say. He's waiting to tell them until after the hearing on Monday. I'm hoping he'll soften some before then, but his lawyer sounds tough."
    "Who is the lawyer?" When Howard didn't answer, I said, "It's a matter of public record. Someone stood there in court with Dennis and convinced a judge to issue this order. My lawyer