【】aray
tableheldaplatebs,andan
etycupofffee.shehenehin
andsllashopeinahugegentatshirt.theweddingbandwas
stiller,butshelookedstartledtoseehi
”hoandingjustihedoor.
despiteallthathadbeen,ingedanintrusiononher
turf.ifshethere,shehadtolethinow.
”better,”shesaid.”issed
toochofit.theyllbeherethisafteoon.>shenodded.
”so,”hesaid,”theygotyouupforashoiledand
nodded.”uhhuh.theyhecastinplastic.ittle
bulky,plasterandhes.theyregivingaerproofone
later.
””thatsgood.”heslippedhishandsinthepocketsofhisjeansand
lookedaround.”doyouneedanythingdyalagazines””no,
thanks.iihecity””idont
knoehelp.”
”thegirlshelp.
schoolinafeeeks.”
”hen.
unlessyoudratherhavesooneelse.ifyoudratherhaveanurse,
illhireone.”
”thatghtbebestifyouhavetogetbaity.”adeepdark
holeinghisinsides.hehadjustsaidthathedidnthaveto
go,hadnthehadntanythingthegirlssaidregisteredhher
”perfeg,”saidstevebauerasheslippedpastjadto
thebed.”iyoutakinganotherhehall.jatake
you.”
”itilltiredfrohelastone.”
”youate.good.oreinhereinalittletenyou
upalittle.thereyouhestrongeryoullbeaer
thepluingartupagain.assoonasthathappens,yougo
ho.”heheldoutahand.
shesighed,tookit,andpushedherselftoaseatedposition.whenshe
eadythere,hehandedherafurryredslipper.shefitteditto
herfootbendingstiffly,jackthought.stevegaveherasingle
h,helpedherup,theheother.hhes
inutehherheaddown.
”okay”steveaskedquietly.javiedhiheinticy.
shenoddedandtookseveralueps.
”handhurt”steveasked.
”alittle,butitsokay,”shesaid.hervoicehe
restofherlooked.
”issheupforthis”jackasked.heiginedherfallingandhurting
herselfre.
butstevekeptanarroundherback,preventingthat.”shetgo
hountilsheis.”heyreak,hesaid,”yourtheywalked
sloinglydoherridor.
”okay”jackasked,thenafterseveralresteps,”hangingin
there
”heyreachedtheend,hesaid,”youredoi,”andwhen
theysingleword
anse
they,shehadbrokenintoas.hehelpedher
intobedandaskedifsheneededanything.sheshookherheadand
closedhereyes.
jackated.
”hobedintothecar.shewas
stills,oldjacksheyet
pletelyrelaxed.
”shesgreat,”hesaidandpushedopenthedoorforsantha,who
protlyrepeatedthequestion.”shesbeenupandhobblingaround.
hadasandhforlunch.”
”didyougetitforher”hopeasked.
”elizadroppeditoffbeforeiuld.”haglaherearview
rror,hepulledathecurb.
”butyouvebeenanthasaid.
”yup.”
”sodidyouguystalk”heshotheracuriousglance.
”about””stuff,daddy,”hopesaid,leaningiheseats.
”youknow.
yourlivinghusandall.”hehadfiguredtheytingat
that.itfolloerallofthegoodthingstheyhadtoldrachel
thedaybefore.”isyourseatbeltfastened,hope””well,did
you
”santhaasked.
jackdartedglaherearvieirroruntilheheardthek
thatsaidhopeedin.
”dad.”
”no,santha.othersjustbeen
throughanordeal.”hehadbeentellihatallday.
”shesratingoingupaing.herfirstpriorityis
gettingho.”
”ean””areyoustaying””that
depends.”
”on”hedrovesilently,untilsherepeatedthequestion.he
caughthopeseyesintherearvieirror.
sheingforhisansoo.
”onthingsthatyourtherandidecidetodo,”hefinallysaid.
”buttheresaofothinkaboutbeforewe
thinkaboutthat,soidappreciateitifthetkedoff.
okay””sodad”sbeenhereallday”santhaasked.
theyhadherefivenutes.jackthewindowlooking
out,listeningtothegirlstellrachelaboutschool.hehunghishead
hequestion,pursedhislips,ed.
”hehas,”rachelsaid.”itstrirutches.he
eupanddoes.hebroughtahotfudgesundae.
””o”hopeaskedinobviousdelight.
”uhhuh.itstillsleepingalot.funny,youdthink
aftersixteendaysibetired.”
”ithinkdadshouldstayanthasaid.”youknow,like,
afteryougetho”jackputahandtothebak.
”alkaboutthatlater,”rachelsaid.
”aybehointwodays.hesreallyagoodguy,
”
”ineversaidhe.”
”ybeyouohearhissideofthestory.”
”santha,”jack.
hopesaid,”hedideverythingean,heca
rightdothecitythatfirstdayandshoppedandokedand
droveusaround.heevendrovefaithtoseeyou.didyouknowhedid
that””no,”rachelsaidgratefulto
hi”
”heleftthe,firoryou”santhacried.
ja.”blondhairflying,shelookedathibr>
fast.”youdid””ileftitfor.for,saitw
foranyre,soigaveitup.dontlaythatonyourther,too.
itsnotlikeiutofyphonesbeenringing.iget
tsnohatiuldbefore.newdoorsareopennow.”he
stopped.hedidntknohat.ithe
edtotellrachel.
”fine,”santhasaid,staringathihisveryo
eyes.
”butifyougobagoing,too.”
”santha”raried,soundingtotallydispleased,evenhurt.
”ilivebothplaces,tiand,anyway
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