Free Looking Through Windows by Caren J. Werlinger

duplicating each other's work in an effort to keep everything secret, and trying to get them to work jointly on various breakthroughs. Then we get the ideas to the companies with the technology to put it all into mass production."
     
    "That must take you all over the world," Emily said.
     
    "It does.  It gets old, but it's part of the job."
     
    Emily nodded slightly.  "What does Michael do?"
     
    "He's working for an investment firm in New York," Katharine told her. "He researches small companies which look promising for mutual funds."
     
    Finances and investments mystified Emily. She was lucky if she could get her checkbook to balance. She turned to Ann. "I never really asked you what you want to do."
     
    "I hope to get my MBA and go to work for an international banking firm. I'd like to develop investment strategies that would convince them to devote resources to small communities like the one I worked in when I was in Africa." She was very earnest as she spoke. "The people there want to work, and would be able to accomplish a lot if they had some initial capital invested to get them started."
     
    "What about your family, Emily?" Owen had been watching Emily's face as Ann spoke.
     
    "My parents both teach in public schools. My father is a high school physics teacher, and my mother teaches fourth grade," she said, feeling that her family's accomplishments were pretty common after the Hights'. "My younger brother is a manager of a store, and my sister works part-time in the accounting department of a medical practice. They each have two children, so I have two nieces and two nephews to spoil and then give back to their parents. It's my way of getting even with my brother and sister," she said, grinning.
     
    "What do you want to do with your doctorate?" Katharine asked.
     
    "I want to teach," she answered simply.
     
    "Good for you," Owen said, smiling. "Teaching is a wonderful profession, and if you have a gift for it," he looked over at Ann, who was watching Emily with shining eyes, "it would be a shame not to use it."
     
    They moved out to the den, and Ann poked the fire back to life, adding a couple of logs. They all settled back to watch some television. Owen and Katharine sat snuggled together on the sofa. Emily was in her chair, and Ann was stretched out on the floor with her head resting on an oversized pillow. By ten o'clock Owen and Katharine said goodnight. They needed to pack for their trip. They would have to leave by ten the next morning to catch their flight.
     
    Ann got up and poked the fire again.
     
    "Why didn't you tell me your father owned the company?" Emily was curious.
     
    Ann used the poker to send sprays of sparks up the flue. "People usually get a little strange once they know that, so," she shrugged, "I've learned not to say." She turned to Emily, and asked, "Does it change anything?"
     
    Emily looked at Ann, firelight illuminating one side of her beautiful face. She thought of all the characteristics she had come to appreciate in Ann: her honesty, her openness and compassion. "No," she smiled, "it doesn't change a thing."
     
    Ann sat down with her back resting against Emily's chair. Her right arm was touching Emily's leg. They sat in silence for a while. It seemed so much longer than one week since Ann had rescued her. Her heart swelled with gratitude to Ann for all that she had done. Emily hoped she could be as good a friend if Ann ever needed it.
     
    Upstairs, Owen and Katharine had finished most of their packing. They were lying in bed, talking.
     
    "Kath," Owen said, "I'm not sure, but if I had to describe Ann's mood this weekend, I'd say she's falling in love."
     
    Katharine let out a breath. "I wasn't sure you saw it," she said, turning to him. "How do you feel about it?"
     
    He shrugged. "All her life, we've taught her to choose her own path, and I think she's made good choices. I think we have to trust that she'll make the right decision this time, too."
     
    "Emily seems