【】otherwas

late.shefiguredshedtleointercepther.that

entarysore.

offshe.shehnfideilshereachedtheer,

theandranuntilsheha

bus.nooneelseeantthateitherthebushadjust

eorthereall.itdidntrunduringtheer.she

uldntreeray.

foralongti,shestoodtherehherbak,

thinkingthatshesandthatit

titheydidsothing.sheshiftedfrototheother.she

satdofoottofoot

likearuhingwas

happening.sheknewas.

sheshruggedoutofthebackpado

seeifshehadenoughneyforataxisdeliveredandthe

buscadoheroad.

bauerhurriedin.sodidbates,on,andeveryoneelseonthe

flooronitorshowed

irovedoxygenation,thegaspinger,andwhileherlips

thesoftpinkthatjackloved,theyelyless

blue.

thereightstillbeatose,but

everythingindieive.

longaftertheyillgrinning,breathingoneloud,

relievedsighafteranainstrachelshand.then,becausehe

ohugherandithadbeentoolong,heslidhisarunder,

carefullydretedherupperbodytohis.shefeltthin

andli,hisryfleshedheroutandgavehershape.sheslled

hospitale,hisohreadsofpaintthinner,his

iginationsuppliedlilies.heclosedhiseyesoearsand

gaveseveralreiensesighs.

hedidntkno

all.

herineiling.

verygently,hesettledrachelintothepilloouldhaveswo

herlipsorepinkthantheyhadbeenkedherup,

andguessedthatitholdingher,perhapsfroeaessorthe

geofposition.inanycase,itifyingsight.

”steveetheneherinesaid.”hewasnearly

asexcitedasietothebed.”thisisagoodsign.a

goodsign.”jackthoughtso,too.asfarasthedoctorswere

hediehadfinallykickedin.asfarasjackwas

nhelhadbeenlisteninginonhisionhdavid

andhadreactedhasho.hewasgrinningagain,

grinningstill.hefeltsotired,sogood,soshocked.”katherine,i

justdeepsiredjob.”

”you”hetoldheraboutdavidsvisit.”wellbedissolving

thefir”

”gro.besides,

youhaveana.youhenever,wherever.”

”yeah,toofbigsur,butthatsrachelsturf.

foralliknoe.”

”isthatyouthink””idontknotothink,sinceshe

isnttalking.youreherbestfriend.youveheardherside.doyou

thinkshednsidergivingitary”katherineheldupher

hands.”notplacetosay.”

”youknoeahint.”

arrying”

”rerrying,”jacksaid,sia

teon.sayit.

ibigboy.”

”itsnotthat.itsthis.onecrisisisover,buttheoes

on.

youeriesofhohebestof

tis.butifitisnteverlikethatagainifshewakes

upandtalk””hroughthisbefore.”

”abraihatshetthinkthe

oifshetuandittakesto

paint

ortookaal,ordriveacar,orbathe””whyareyouobsessed

eanstoloverachel.”

”butistic””iot,”shecried,thenposed

herselfandsaidaquieter”iot,butiuldbe.iuldassu

cerhasspread.forayearortydiagnosis,ipanicked

everytiifeltapain.thenidecidedthathopetero

go.ichoosetobelievethatilllivetogrothereareno

guarantees.ifibeeinvolvedeooknohat.”

ahhh.jaderstood.shesheoask

stevebauer.jackuldarguethatrachelssituationore

trautic.ifkatherinehareeofcer,

thereentandressionand,still,thepossibilityof

sogoodti.ifrachelentallydiherewouldbe

nothing.

no.thatething.butitwouldbe

different.

heguessedthatdunhadexperiencedhfaith.lifeafter

theact.dungedjobs.heleaedtodo

thingsaroundthehouse.hegaveupchofheir

lives,allbecausehelovedfaith.

ifthatold,leatheryountainnulddoit,jack

certainlyuld.

ohingtrust

thatanyoneelseuldtakecareofherthewayhewould.

hesaidaquiet”youdidntansyquestion.doihaveace

isthefeelingthereoherinelookedpasthit

sothingandbrightehenfroostasquickly.

jacktuedtofindhopeatthedoor.herhairessofblond

hlessandsy.wideeyeshel.

hestartedtosheranpasttothebed.”ikne”she

ile.”ikhingwas

happening,onlyididntknok,

juingupanddoiling,sgkisson

thecheek.

raightened,shebreatheoutasatisfiedsighandlooked

triuhantlyfroacktokatherineandback.

jackfeltasthoughheoughttosldher,butheuldntfigureout

for.itherinehroatandsaid,

”uh,jack,ybeyoushouldhoolbeforetheycalltheps,

aheheshyou”katherioretutok

hadtocallhislaorebraidsin

rachelshair.bythetisheannouncedshekwas

starved.hetookhertolundoontereyauedtothe

h

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