dressed in your best suit. You may find that yawning, somnolent with incense, she has slipped away around the corner to a restaurant where a painter having sketched the waiter on a paper napkin uses it to blot the marinara sauce from his blue silk tie. Cree read and wrinkled her nose. "That's Gino, all right. I think he's happy in the Maine woods. His relationship is good. He doesn't make any money, but what else is new?" She shook her head. "Well, we got Bart made, anyway." "Go, Bart!" Willow said. "So, how's your business?" "Every time I think it's going to die, it surprises me and comes back to life." "Must be fun going to Italy on buying trips." "It is fun sometimes. And deductible. How does Patrick like it at the university?" "He enjoys it," Willow said. "He likes the research best, but he doesn't mind the teaching. The kids love him." "Of course they do," Cree said. "Now, I'm trying to remember--weren't you into music?" "I was. I mean, I am. I love it, but I don't perform or anything." "Bart is pretty good on the piano. I'm thinking of changing to a better teacher." "I grew up on lessons," Willow said. "I think I had too many. When I was in Woodstock, I used to go up to AhnRee's and play his piano, try to write songs. I found that I couldn't. It was a great disappointment. It was like I was too grooved in the classical; I couldn't get loose, couldn't get away from it. I guess if I were really talented I would have blown it off and done my own thing." She paused. "I wouldn't push it too hard. Nudge, maybe. Scone?" Cree's face lit up as she bit into the scone. "Mighty fine," she said. "That's what I do best," Willow said. "It's a wonder I can still see my feet. I'm starting a cafe in January." "Spectacular! I'll be there. You look terrific. I'm the blimp. I'll think about the music lessons. Thanks, Willow." They watched the Mustangs struggle. The other team was doing most of the attacking. "What's your little one like? . . . Dylan?" "Right. After Bob," Willow said. "He's more even tempered than Martin, but he's pretty intense. Quiet. He's got a thing for cats, which I take to be a good sign." The attackers lined up for a corner kick. "What ever happened to Joe Burke?" "Oh, Joe." Cree smiled. "He was something. He and Sally went to Hawaii to live, then they broke up. He's in Maine. They had a daughter. He's remarried, I think." "He was interesting," Willow said. "Yeah. If the situation had been a little different . . . " She raised one eyebrow. "I don't think he ever found a place where he fit in. The good old days," Cree said. "When you showed up in Woodstock, you had a friend." "Amber," Willow said. "Wasn't she from the Bay Area?" "Yep--she's in Vancouver, Washington, now. She's a pediatrician. She married a developer with pots of money. They have two spoiled kids." "She was gorgeous," Cree said.