"Well, if you can get away from the books for a few hours, I know where they are," he told her.

"I know it's your busy season... ."

"I take a day off now and then. When can you be here?"

"I'll get to California next week. I want to unpack a few things, check my class schedule and then I might be able to head up there on Friday. It's not too far. A few hours, right?"

"Right. And cell phone reception is spotty, so don't count on it, especially in the taller trees and mountains."

"Tom," she said, kind of seriously. "I emailed you. About three times. You didn't answer. I was a little afraid to call... ."

"Aw, damn, I'm so bad about that. Darla, hardly anyone emails me and it's all junk. I'm sorry. I haven't looked lately."

"But don't you do business online?"

He laughed. "We've been doing business with the same people for years. We drive the truck into town, to the stores, unload the apples and hand over a paper invoice. Maxie is on the computer more than I am."

"Well, that's a relief. I thought maybe you were avoiding me."

"Not a chance. This is one of the nicest surprises I've had in months."

Since Nora had been talking to Jed for a couple of weeks, exchanging the occasional email as well, she was comfortable that she was getting to know him and like him. But still, his first visit to her humble home was a little nerve-racking. Her phone rang at noon and he said, "Hi. I know we said afternoon and it's about one minute after, but I'm in the area. When can I come over? I don't want to intrude. I really hope to be invited back."

She smiled to herself; that was kind of cute. And that rising fear reared its ugly head-Please don't let this all be false. Please, please let it be true.

"You can come now," she said. "The girls are bathed, dressed and fed."

"Nuts," he said. "I was going to offer to pick up lunch."

"Not necessary, but have you eaten? Because I have a bunch of apples, apple butter, bread, but not the kind of food a man might be looking for."

"I had a late and very large breakfast. I'm completely satisfied."

"Then come. Oh, and Jed... As I mentioned before, Berry is very shy. Step softly."

"Of course. See you shortly."

And shortly it was-he must have phoned from just out of town. Fifteen minutes later, he was at the door. And he was bearing gifts-he held a bag from a toy store. "Oh, my," she said. "I shouldn't be surprised, but oh, my!"

"I couldn't stop myself," he said with a sheepish smile. "The truth is, I didn't even try."

Jed stood in the open doorway holding his big bag. Fay had been standing beside the couch but upon seeing company, she dropped to a sit and then rapidly crawled toward him. Nora swept Fay up before she flew right out the front door. Berry, on the other hand, shrank back behind the couch, just peeking at him.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Oh," she said. "Right." And she held open the door for him.

He didn't say anything at all, but moving slowly and smiling gently, he got down on the floor with his bag and started removing toys. They were all new, something Nora had not been able to provide for her kids. They had some perfectly good toys, a whole plastic laundry basket full, but these were so much better. There was a spire that played music when the brightly colored plastic hoops were stacked on it. There was a toy that mimicked the animal noises. A cow says moooo... . Another toy had an arrow that pointed to a number or a letter-and this one spoke in either Spanish or English. And there were several books.

Nora sat at their small table and watched. Fay was struggling to get down off her lap.

"Let her come, Nora, it's okay-these are all safe for a one-year-old. I double-checked." Then he lifted his eyes to Berry. "These are for you and Fay, Berry," he said calmly, softly. "You can keep them and play with them." He lifted a book. "When you feel like it, we'll read a story."

"It's okay, Berry," Nora said. "This is your..." She didn't finish.

"Say grandpa, Nora. Then whatever they want to call me, that's it. My friend, Susan, who is a grandmother, her grands call me Papa."

"Berry doesn't talk very much," Nora said. "She's so shy."

"Nothing wrong with being cautious," he said easily. "I'm shy, too."

"You are, aren't you? I think I remember that about you!"

"It was always easier for me to read and write than to interact. Probably how I ended up on the faculty. I can lecture because it's prepared. I can write a great paper and defend it. I can talk to students about their work, their grades, their schedules. But when they bring me personal issues, I freeze. I'm determined to do better with you. And your children." He pulled out something else, a mesh bag of large, beautifully colored plastic blocks with letters on them. For now, Berry could stack them; eventually she could line them up and make words. He unfolded a very small play stroller, added a little doll and a doll-size diaper bag.

Fay was immediately drawn to the bright colors and Jed showed her how to make them tinkle and sing and talk.

"How did you get up here so fast?" Nora asked. "What time did you leave this morning?"

"I came last evening. I stayed over in a motel in Fortuna. I didn't want to waste a minute." Then with a slight flush he said, "There's more, Nora."

"More what?"

"Things for the girls."

"Oh, Jed, that wasn't necessary. I don't want them to think that every time they see you there will be presents."

"I thought of that. I left everything in bags. You can put them away in a closet and when the girls are asleep, take them out and look at them, give them things when I'm not here so they don't think, you know..."

"Think what?"

"That I'm Santa Claus or something. But it was such an experience, like I've never had before. When Susan's grandchildren came, I went shopping with her and she was a crazy fool-throwing things in carts, literally losing her mind! I thought she'd gone mad." He shrugged. "Then I suddenly had grandchildren and... Lord, I couldn't stop myself. Don't think she didn't get the biggest kick out of it."

"Susan?" she asked.

"Haven't I mentioned her before today? She's a professor, but I met her fifteen years ago when she was a student. Not my student, but an older woman, finishing her degree once her children were nearly raised. Younger than I."

"And she's your girlfriend?"

He gave a nod and another slight blush. "I guess you could say. A few years after my divorce, ten years after hers, we began seeing each other. She's more a close friend than anything. We don't live together, we're not engaged. I'd like you to meet her. She's nice." Jed pulled a large, glossy book out of his bag and held it up so that Berry could see. "Princess stories," he said. "Susan's granddaughters love them. They're princesses every Halloween."

Berry came slowly forward, chewing on a finger. The brightly colored princesses on the cover got her. He let her take the book out of his hand and she immediately backed toward Nora. Leaning against her mother's legs, she opened the beautiful book.