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"No," she says. "I can't stay long. I have errands to run."

But after a moment Sadie leans over and takes a fry, pops it in her mouth.

"They're salty," she says.

"I like salt."

"You have to be careful," Sadie says. "Your heart."

"Yeah," I say.

"How is it?"

"Good," I say. "It's fine." I laugh. "You remember in your attic? I let you listen to it."

"I remember." Sadie looks at me then, moves her hair from her face. "I remember just what it sounded like--whoosh, whoosh, then another late whoosh."

She reaches over, takes another one of my french fries. "After I listened to your heart, I thought you could die at any moment."

"That was a long time ago," I say. "The murmur is barely there now."

"You know what?" she says. Sadie's kids climb to the high platform of the slide. I watch as they push each other, then find another kid to shove down the slide. "I guess I can tell you now. I wanted you to listen to mine. To hear my heart. I wanted to take off my shirt and have you place your ear against my chest so you could hear my heart. Back then, I was just crazy about you, Will. But I know you loved June, even then."

I pick up my trash on the table, ball it in my fist. I sweep the extra salt to my palm. Before I empty it to the floor, I take a pinch and toss it over my right shoulder. It is an old action of mine, superstition and habit. Sadie sees it and smiles.

"Your attic," I say. "I remember it was so damn hot that day."

"What do you think would have happened if we would have done that?"

"We would have gotten into trouble. Your father was two steps from the attic door as it was."

"I know," Sadie says. "You loved June. So I didn't do anything. I waited. But then up at the pond you got what you really wanted."

"I guess I did," I say.

"I have a boyfriend now. Robert. He's a painting contractor."

"That's good," I say.

"Yes," Sadie says. But she turns her face and her old shyness hides her eyes away from me then.

Sadie's kids come rushing up from the slide. The boy with her red hair has scraped his elbow. He is not crying though; he just wants his mother to see.

"My goodness," Sadie says. "Josh, what did you do?"

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