Chapter 1Heavy bootsteps on my porch steal my attention away from my current work-in-progress, and I know who it is even before I look out the window.
Joar.
My neighbor, my rock, my pillar of strength during these last difficult few years, has stopped by for the second time today. This morning, before I’d even gotten out of bed—I’m not an early riser—he came and cleared away the snow—winter arrived early this year—that had been dumped on my property the previous night. By the time I finally managed to stumble out of bed, he’d already left.
But now he’s back. Hauling firewood, stacking it on my porch, next to my office window. Out of my sightline, but I don’t have to see him to know what it looks like; he’s done it countless times before over the years. The pile of wood will be immaculat
