 What do you think life is like for Mary and Phil after the events of the story?
If anything could go wrong, they wouldn't be sending me; you know that. But I don't think I ever really believed it was possible—not until this morning when you said tonight was the take-off. It existed only because of the huge ship standing poised in the take-off zone five miles away in the desert. Its future as a town rested with the ship, and the town seemed to feel the uncertainty of its future, seemed ready to stop existing as a town and to give itself back to the desert, if such was its destiny. Phil turned the car off the highway onto the rutted dirt road that led across the sand to the field where the ship waited.
 Phil closes himself off, resenting Mary for forcing his hand.
 Mary is thankful that Phil did not leave, and their lives continue as normal.  They become closer friends with Sammy who is thankful to have gone on the mission.  Phil closes himself off, resenting Mary for forcing his hand.  Mary helps Phil find another mission closer to home.