He went back to the boxes, knowing that he'd have to be completely insane to approach that woman before Roger could get him out of here.

He needed to stay alive, stay focused on the trial, and on his duty to Steve and his family. He couldn't afford this distraction.

But damn.

She'd grown from pretty girl to beautiful woman, and he hadn't been there to see it.

And knowing that made him feel more alone than he'd ever felt in his life.

***

It was only nine, so if she were good, she'd use this time to do her Tae Bo tape. No, wait-Charlotte had recently read a magazine article that said it was self-defeating to label yourself "good" or "bad" when the focus should be on the behavior itself. The article said that people make just two kinds of choices in life: harmful ones and helpful ones.

So after she checked on the kids, she headed downstairs and made the choice to find the box of Triscuits and the can of squirt cheese. Then made the choice to sit at the kitchen table and chow down.

"You only live once," she said to no one, popping another salty, crunchy, squishy, artificially flavored tidbit in her mouth, thinking the whole time of the Chippendales dancer next door.

After a few more savory concoctions, Charlotte stuck the cracker box under her arm and tucked the squirt cheese in her shorts pocket and wandered out to the back patio. Though the days were growing longer, it was fully dark by now, and the neighborhood was quiet. She took a seat at the patio table and propped her feet on an empty chair.

Right after Kurt died, more than a few well-meaning people had asked if she planned to sell the house. The answer was no, not if she could help it

She topped another cracker, a little shocked at how lbud the aerosol sounded out here in the quiet.