April 6. Thursday Night.

Hi Journey.

Journey, I really, truly am blessed to lean on just the best teachers in the world.

I rang up Mattie about Seven her time. But first I kicked out a long run after a light supper. I eased back to a fast walk the last three blocks before I pulled up in front of Whitby . It was just dusk, and though it's still too early for the insects to be out in force, I could hear the singing of a cricket or two and my heart leapt up because winter is finally nearly put behind us.

I still had to tug on a pair of sweats, though; it's pretty brisk that last hour before the sun goes down. It rained earlier in the week, and this is only the second time I've put the Nikes on all week.

I've been down today, Journey. Bad-down. The blues, I guess. Weird. Even though all the projects scheduled for work today were fun—two Snapshot Sessions and a visit with Shelly to a new prospect—it didn't matter. I could hardly drag myself out of bed this morning, and once I did it was all I could do to get dressed and down to the car.

I prayed for some strength, even just to get me to the office. Days like today don't hit very often, but when they do I know if I can just get around other people, they'll pull me through.

And so I did, and the day went OK. But I knew this morning; I doubly needed to touch base with Mattie.

The two of us had an interesting chit-chat. I asked her what Julian Maxwell was like, after a little good-natured teasing as to why she didn't clue me in on the secret.

“ Crystal , you quite well know your sister swore me to secrecy about the emperor's visit. And I can't say I blame her a bit; you Trinos have ribbed each other about boyfriends since forever. I think that's one reason Carmen got hitched to Percy as soon as she did—she knew she'd escape the taunting.”

“Guilty,” I confessed eagerly. “Now, what was Julian like?”

“As I suspected, he's the same sort of stray your sister has attracted since forever. He's polite enough, not bad looking in a plain-vanilla way--and no doubt he has read a ton of books. I'm sure he's looked at the stars, because he was able to identify most every one of the constellations I have hanging up on my walls; but for some reason I just have the feeling he's an astronomy dropout.”

“Why's that?”

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