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Renie. “Do you really want to do that? I’d like to stay through the weekend. It’s been three years since Joe and I took Mike and his family to the island. The grandkids loved it. Besides, I figure Auntie Vance will want a full report of reactions to the voting results and the meeting itself.”
    â€œProbably,” Renie agreed. “If we do that, we should wait to go back Monday morning. Ferry traffic Sunday night can be ugly. It’s a short crossing, but they don’t have superferrys on the route.”
    Judith signaled for the turn off the freeway that would lead them to the dock. “We might as well stay in the car,” she said.
    â€œNot me. I’m going up to get popcorn. I’m hungry.”
    â€œFine.”
    They lapsed into silence until they were in the lane that led to the terminal. They noticed a security officer with a sniffer dog going from car to car, a precaution that had begun after the tragic events of 9/11. Man and dog passed by them with only a glance. And presumably a sniff.
    A ferry was heading into the dock. Judith surveyed the half-dozen lanes of vehicles waiting to go aboard. “We’re lucky. We’ll make this one.”
    â€œIt’s not yet noon,” Renie remarked, checking her watch. “The rush will be on a little later. You sure you got the right senior fare for us?”
    â€œHow could I get the wrong one?”
    â€œJust asking. If I’m getting old, I want my perks.”
    â€œIt isn’t as if there are two different rates for seniors. You expect ‘old’ and ‘really old’?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact,” Renie said, “I suspect that’ll happen the way people are living so long. You do realize that there are now two generations of so-called seniors. Everybody fusses about the baby boomers gobbling up all the Social Security. They should work longer.”
    â€œWhat about young people looking for jobs?” Judith asked in a reasonable voice.
    â€œMost of them don’t know what they want to major in, assuming they’re going to college. Why not a one- or two-year public-service requirement for both sexes? Why doesn’t anybody except me have good ideas?”
    â€œMay I remind you that both our husbands took advantage of retirement at sixty-two?” Judith pointed out.
    â€œTrue—and it galled me. But they’re still earning, with Joe doing PI work and Bill seeing a few of his nutty patients. The only glitch is he nods off more often while they’re unloading their problems on him.”
    The ferry had docked. The disembarking foot passengers came off first, followed by a long double line of vehicles that included a school bus, a moving van, and a cement mixer.
    Ten minutes later the cousins were aboard and on their way across the Sound. Renie immediately got out to search for popcorn on the second deck. Luckily, Judith had been able to pull into an outside lane where she could get a porthole view of the water. She felt the engines kick into high gear after they cleared the docking area. The only other vessel she could see was some kind of freighter heading south toward the city. Seagulls swooped and squawked as they circled the water for food. Or, she thought, waiting for Renie to appear on deck with her popcorn. Her cousin tended to be a messy eater.
    Judith’s attention was diverted by a man getting out of his SUV a couple of cars ahead of her. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. He, too, headed toward the stairway that led to the upper deck.
    Renie returned by the time the ferry had slowed as it approached the dock in the little town of Cliffton. “Wanthum?” she asked, thrusting the almost-empty paper bag at Judith.
    â€œNo thanks,” she replied, long ago having learned to understand her cousin when she talked with her mouth full. “Those six kernels might spoil my appetite for lunch.”
    â€œLun,” Renie said,