【】nanswered.

“shyou”

“nothing,”shesaid,feelingsorryforherself.“”

“ialoneforabit.”

“oh...ok...”shefeltlost.“areyouupto”

“iustedtoday.”

“isthisforthedoelessness”

“yeah,doyouchit”

“yeah.”shesledgratefullyaledherselfdoiothevideoandhollyarkableoheranddanieledlikesuchastupidthingto.

“ohde,that,”shesaid,dryinghereyeshadfinished.

“thanks,”hesaidquietly,takingthevideooutoftheplayerandpagitinhisbag.

“areyounothappyhit”

heshruggedhisshoulders.“entary.sothereforethe.”

hollylistenedingthisakeadifferen.peopleandtohelp.”

dejustshrugged.“ybe.anygoingtobednoabsolutelyknackered.”hepickeduphisbagandkissedheroopofherheadashepassed,ouchedholly.herbabybrrowingup.

hollyglanantelpiednoticeditosttgerry.shedreadedthedaysoreletters.afterall,thereallpouchhadlandedonherlap.shestudiedittosessageread:

asunfloysunflouore,andbesafeintheknoandbrightsueras.

ps,iloveyou...

pps,uldyoupleasepassthiscardontojohn

hollyliftedthesendcardthathadfallenontoherlapahehroughhertearsandlaughter.

tojohn,

happy32ndbirthday.yettingold,friend,butihopeyouhaveny,hdays.enjoylifeandtakeyannow

lotsoflove,yourfriendgerry

ps,toldyouidkeepprose.

hollyreadandrereadeverysingleedlikehoursandthoughtabouthohisfriend.shethoughtabouthouoretoherihanjustapayforherself.shedexgeitalltohavegerryback.

thatore.

hollytheuch.shefeltaneepandsheuldnthegrinoffherface.shetappedlightlyodoor.

“ein,”elizabethcalled.

hollysteppedinandlookedaroundatherparentsandrichardsittingatthetablehcupsofteaintheirhands.

“ohhello,love,”heraid,happilygettinguptogiveherahugandakiss.“ididnthearyouein.”

“ivebeenhereaboutanhour.ientary.”hollybeadatherfalyalikegivingthellahug.

“itsgreat,isntit”franksaid,standinguptogreethiseldestdaughterhahugandakiss.

hollynoddedandjoihetthetable.“haveyoufoundajobyet”sheaskedrichard.

heshookhisheadsadlyandlookedasthoughheocry.

“well,idid.”

helookedatherdisgustedthatsheuldsaysuchathing.“well,iknowyoudid.”

“norichard,”shesled.“ianigotyouajob.”

helookedupatherinsurprise.“you”

“youheard,”shegrinned.“bossorrow.”

hisfayiisinsce.”

“andgardening.”

“yes,ilikegardening.”helookednfused.

“sothatsybossyoulldoitforfivethousand;ihopethatsok.”shesledathishisuthdroppedopen.

hepletelyspeechlesssohollykeptontalking.

“andheresyourbusinesscards,”shesaid,handinghilargepileofcardsthatshehadprihatday.

richardandherparentspiardsahensilence.

suddenlyrichardstartedlaughing,juedoutofhischairpullingholly,anddancedherarouslookedonandcheered.

“oh,bytheingdothecardagain,“youspelledgardenersnotgardisgardener.”hespokeslohedifference”

hollystoppeddangandsighedhfrustration.

fortyone

“ok,thisisthelastone,iprose,girls”denisecalledasherbradoor.

sharonandhollygroanedandllapsedontotheirchairsagain.

“yousaidthatanho,”sharonplained,kiassagingherswollenankles.

“yeah,butianitthisti.ihaveareallygoodfeelingaboutthisdress,”denisesaid,fullofext.

“yousaidthatanhotoo,”hollygruled,restingherheadbathelosinghereyes.

“dontyougofallingasleeponnodiatelyshotopen.

theyhadbeendraggedtoeverysingleelyfedup.enttheyhadfeltfordeniseaheirsysteasderiedondressafterdress.andifhollyhearddenisesirritatingsquealson

...