Imogen Howe

never left town after high school. She had one the "most likely to never return" for her class' mock awards. The award show had taken place in the gym. Dark with the spotlights on the stage. The song "I'm leaving, never to come back again" played as Imogen Howe and another guy got called onto stage to accept the award.

The first year some classmates would crack a joke about it. She would be a good sport and play around. By the second year people stopped making jokes. She didn't know if it was because they pitied her or if they had forgotten about the award.

She never felt truly stuck until classmates began graduating from college. That's when she began wondering, how did she end up here? How was she still in town?

There had been that one winter. When Alan had come to stay for winter break. With him came Jack and Aaron. It was a magical winter. Imogen felt truly alive.

And that's how she met Alan for the second time. He had been around in high school but they hardly spoke. Alan ended up moving back to town. They became a thing. And then they got married.

Keith wanted to know more, but Imogen wouldn't say. She was laying in bed. Keith was bringing her cups of tea.

"Enough talking. I just want you to hum for me now. I want to stare out the window. Lay here. And just stare at the sea."

Keith smiled.

"Can we do that?"

"Yeah."

"You promise?"

"Yes."