Summary

Ariel meets her future spouse during a city-wide blackout. Ariel's friend has power so she goes to his place for dinner and meets his houseguest, Lucy. Lucy is a decade older than Ariel, has a good job at an environmental not-for-profit, and lives in San Francisco with her long-term girlfriend. Ariel falls for her almost immediately and begins to fantasize about the domestic life they will have together. Ariel is ready for a long-term partner. They begin emailing constantly and, when Ariel travels to San Francisco for a story, she and Lucy begin an affair.

Ariel and Lucy go hiking in California. Ariel wears short red shorts and the hiking boots she had bought for a trip in the Himalayas. She remembers backpacking across Asia when she was 22 and feeling torn between her love of adventure and her desire to feel safe and protected...