Optional: A modern retelling of the biblical story of Abraham 
and Sarah. Aren Karajian is a widowed sixty-two year old solar 
technology engineer.

Is passionate love reserved exclusively for the young? Can a mature 
woman in the second act of her life not only shed old skins, but can 
she utterly transform like a caterpillar to a butterfly? Is intimacy a 
spiritual journey?

Élise Douchet is a single fifty year old French and Spanish teacher 
at a New England independent school. She is originally from the 
Caribbean island of French Saint Martin. A fall during a morning 
hike in Vermont precipitates their encounter. When Aren rescues 
Élise from a nasty fall down the ravine, he is pleasantly surprised 
to find the grey haired woman is not so old after all. In fact she is 
really quite striking and exotic. He is smitten, while she … not so 
much. Romance is the furthest thought in her mind. She does not 
know how to respond to Aren’s mild flirtation, and chalks it up to 
his being very friendly. 

The novel takes the couple through the awkward and sometimes 
challenging arena of grey dating in the 21st century. Through humor, 
patience and fun adventures Aren wears down Élise’s resistance 
and things take off until the moment Élise discovers that the thing 
she thought would never, could never happen, happens. The novel 
then follows the couple as they make decisions that will alter the 
course of their relationship, and shed light on the real meaning of 
life and commitment. For all of their worldy sophistication, in the 
end they learn the answers to the great existential questions are 
not found in books, careers, fancy vacations and philosophy. Like 
their ancestors before them, prayer and humility are the only way 
to move forward.