"Yes. The front door steps out into a national park in Massachusetts. That is fixed. The gate..." Elaine turned to look at it, seemingly unexceptional between the two trees. "That has more of a mind of its own. Or of your own, depending where you want to go. When you go back, time won't have passed in the same way as here, but I can't predict it, exactly. And you won't be able to get back here the same way." She reached out to take Marian's hand and squeeze it gently.
"You're welcome to stay as long as you like. I was getting a bit lonesome for company anyway. The animals aren't always great conversationalists." She poked her tongue out at the cat, which yawned widely and rolled over onto her back, and went back to sleep.