Emily Lawrence made an ungraceful exit from the seat of her bicycle as it clattered to a stop along the gravel road.  “Darn, I knew I should have bought a new bike.”  She looked at the chain which had come off the rusted old bicycle she had inherited with her rented house, and then scanned the length of the road.  No dust clouds showing the advance of a rescuing cavalry so she’d have to walk the bike home.

‘Home’ was a word that was becoming full of meaning for her.  Emily had grown up in Lancaster but had left town after graduation to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian.  Now after ten years in a bustling city practise she had come home to buy into a partnership.  The ending of a disastrous relationship had sealed the deal to move.  She felt comfort in the familiar surroundings and even though many of her classmates had moved on as well, there were still many old faces left.  The only sadness she felt was the absence of her last family tie; Aunt Beatrice who had raised her had died of cancer five years ago.

She was lost in her thoughts and didn’t hear the crunching of gravel until a voice called out, “Need a lift?  I can throw your bike in the back with Boomer.”  She looked up to see first of all a laughing black Labrador in the back of a pick-up, and then a pair of brown eyes that brought back a rush of memories. “Hank Willows?”

“The one and only.  I see you still have problems with two-wheelers.”

Hank was the one who had taught her at the age of five to ride her first bicycle.

“I think I’d feel more comfortable on a horse,” she laughed.  ‘At least they don’t lose chains.”

He gave her a lift back to her house and said. “I’ll take your bike home and fix the chain.  It may be old but it’s salvageable.” Then with a wave, and a woof from Boomer, he was gone.

She was in the door before she realized that on the short ride home, he’d managed to draw out of her the salient parts of her last ten years but hadn’t said a thing about himself.  That had always been Hank- able to bring others out of themselves. 

His parents had been friends of Aunt Bea and they went often to Hank’s farm where he taught her to ride not only a bike but also a horse.  They had dated briefly in high school, but then settled comfortably into a friendship.

Emily wondered if he ever married Keri Lazinski, his senior year sweetheart and prom date.  Somehow she hoped he hadn’t.  She’d rather picture him with a different sort of wife- someone more like- well more like herself.  Keri was never serious enough about anything except her clothes to make a good match for Hank. “Meow” she chastised herself.  It was none of her business anyway. 

She got the answer to her question the next day.  There in the appointment book was Keri Willows with her cat Snuffy.  Snuffy? Silly name for a cat, but then maybe she was prejudiced.

Snuffy had escaped the yard and had an altercation with another tom.  Snuffy seemd to have gotten the worst of it.  She cleaned his scratches and patched up his ear where it was torn.

Keri chatted as Emily tidied up her cat and Emily groaned inwardly as she realized Keri had never matured.  Her interests were still centred around fashion, jewellery and celebrities.

What was she still doing in Lancaster? “Oh I’m just back for a visit with the folks.” Keri said.  Emily realized with a start she had asked the question out loud.

            “But what about Hank? I thought you two would have taken over his parents’ farm?”

“Old history.”  Keri waved her well-manicured hands flutteringly. “ Hank and I married right after graduation and were together for about twenty minutes before we both realized it was a mistake.  You know I think he still missed you, and I came in as a replacement.”   She gave Emily a frown as if puzzled by such a thought.  “Besides,” she went on “Me as a farmer’s wife?  I don’t think so.”

“Hank and I were just good friends.”

“Sure, that may be your opinion.  But I don’t think it was Hank’s.”

“Mrowr”  “Sorry Snuffy,” Emily said as she finished.  “I’m going to give you some antibiotics, Keri.  Be sure to finish them all.  Even after it starts to heal, there could still be infection.”

She was curious as to why Keri kept her married name, but wouldn’t dare ask.  Surely if they divorced years ago, she would have remarried?

Three dogs, one more cat and a hamster later, she was ready for home.  Their practise was a small animal clinic; another vet service handled large farm animals. Tonight Dale her business partner was on call so she could relax and make an early night. 

Relaxation didn’t come though.  She couldn’t stop thinking about Hank.  “What If?’ are troublesome words, because they can never be answered with any degree of assurance.  That’s what Emily was looking for -assurance.  How many relationships had failed for her because she unwittingly compared all men to Hank?  And now she wondered.  Could the same have been true for him?

A knock at the door interrupted her musings.  She opened it half expecting to see a child standing there with an injured animal, but it was Hank with one hand holding her bike steady.

“I’ve fixed it up,” he said. “I think it’s safe enough now that it won’t throw you.”

“I saw Keri today,” she said, totally changing the subject.

“I heard she was back in town, but she doesn’t call me.  It didn’t last, you know.”

Then he grinned , “Can I explain why to you, say over dinner?”

She didn’t answer, just asked another question. “Why did she keep your name?”

“That I’ll answer over dinner too.” The grin deepened.  “I know curiosity has always been one of your strongest traits so I’m using it as a selling point.  Now where are we going for dinner?  Pizza or burgers?”