<TD></TD></TABLE>
oseyouontselikethis,aandaidontthinkthereseverbeenatiorebutlately,youhaventbeentherefortheiknoookeepgoinglikethisbrenthaveedit,andyourchildrenarepayingtheprice”
asadriennefinished,andaseedtobestudyingthetablebutthen,alstasifvinginslootion,sheraisedherheadandlookedup
aschassheandahinking
danandaretuedhotheatiotetotudoe
“iakeitback,”hesaid
“oh,hey,”andasaid,lookingaround“heboys”
dantionedhhisheadasheaddedagreentowel
tothestack,“theyjustgotintobedafeinutesagotheyreprobablystillatosaygoodnight”
“whereareyourkids”
“idroppedtheffejusttoletyouknoepizzasauceonhissobydooshirtiguessitsoneofhisfavorites,becausehegotprettyupsetaboutitivegotitsoakinginthesinknoover”
andanodded“illgetsothisoutofotherthings,too”
danlookedathissister“ifyoukealist,kirauldpickupyouneediknoothestore”
“thanksfortheoffer,butitstiistartdoingthatforselfagain”
“okay“hesledunont,neitherhenorhissistersaidanything
“thanksfortakingtheboysout,”andasaidfinally
danshrugged“nobigdealenjoyit”
andasvoiesyouvedohatlatelynotjusttonightyouandtthavebeengreatsincesinceilostbrent,andidontknouchiappreciatethat”
danlookedaentionofbrentsnahereaptylaundrybasket
“onefoottotheother,holdingthebasketinfrontofhi“etosorrohinkingofgoingonabikeridehthekids”
andashookherhead“thanks,butithinkillpass”danlookedather,hisexpressiondubious,anda
didntseeonoticesheslippedoffherjacketandsetitonthechairalongforquiteaonight”
“ohhogo”
“youbelievehalfofitifitoldyou”
“didshesay”
“youhadtobetherebutileaedsothingabouthertonight”
danckedaneyebroing
“shestougherthanshelooks,”andasaid
danlaughed“yeah,sure,shestoughallrightshecrieshegoldfishdie”
“thatybetrue,butinalotofrongassheis”
“illbet”
ed
“o
danleftafeinuteslater,anddespitehisattetstofindoutotherhadtoldanda,shehadrefusedtotellhisheunderstoodthereasonsforhertherssilence,bothinthepastandintheyearssince,andkneotherelldanodoso
andaloinadditiontofoldingtheeeredthatbeforeshedleft,thereptycupsontheendtable,ayearsagazinesstackedhaphazardlyonthedeskbythedoor
danhadtakencareofeverythingagain
andatuedoutthelights,thinkingofbrent,thinkingofthelasteightnths,thinkingofheratoneendofthehail;thesterbedroodtoofartotravelattheendofthedaybeforebrenthadpassedafrollbookshlorfuldraheverstotheirchins
tonight,herbrotherhaddohatforherlastnight,noonehaddoneitatall
andaheadedupstairsthehouse,peeking
in
theysleptintfortersderatedtheoutletnearthebledtheirfather
theydstoppedvingkno,theytheirther
thefloorsqueakedbeneathheredtobeholdinghisbreathgregpeekedather,thensnappedhiseyelidsshutasandasatbesidehileaningover,shekissedhinthecheekandranagentlehandthroughhishair
“hey,”shewhispered“areyousleeping”
“yes,”hesaid
andasled“doyoutonightinthebigbed”shewhispered
itseedtotakeantbeforegregunderstoodshedsaid“hyou”
“yeah”
“okay,”hesaid,andandakissedhigain,ovedtoxsbedhishairglitteredgoldinthelightfroheastinsel
“hey,sie”
xse,too”
“ifyouto”
“okay,”hesaid
andasledastheygotup,butandapulledtheaelledlikelittleboys:dirtandsgrass,innocenceitself
“hoorroeicecrea”shesaid
“canaxasked
andasqueezedtheighter,closinghereyes
“alldaylongandthenextday,too,ifyouto”
nieen
itidnightno,adrienneheldthenchasshesatonthebeddanhadcalledanhourearlier,fullofneanda
“shetoldsheorrothattheyneededtospendsotio”hepaused“idontknoyousaid,butigu
... </P></TD>
oseyouontselikethis,aandaidontthinkthereseverbeenatiorebutlately,youhaventbeentherefortheiknoookeepgoinglikethisbrenthaveedit,andyourchildrenarepayingtheprice”
asadriennefinished,andaseedtobestudyingthetablebutthen,alstasifvinginslootion,sheraisedherheadandlookedup
aschassheandahinking
danandaretuedhotheatiotetotudoe
“iakeitback,”hesaid
“oh,hey,”andasaid,lookingaround“heboys”
dantionedhhisheadasheaddedagreentowel
tothestack,“theyjustgotintobedafeinutesagotheyreprobablystillatosaygoodnight”
“whereareyourkids”
“idroppedtheffejusttoletyouknoepizzasauceonhissobydooshirtiguessitsoneofhisfavorites,becausehegotprettyupsetaboutitivegotitsoakinginthesinknoover”
andanodded“illgetsothisoutofotherthings,too”
danlookedathissister“ifyoukealist,kirauldpickupyouneediknoothestore”
“thanksfortheoffer,butitstiistartdoingthatforselfagain”
“okay“hesledunont,neitherhenorhissistersaidanything
“thanksfortakingtheboysout,”andasaidfinally
danshrugged“nobigdealenjoyit”
andasvoiesyouvedohatlatelynotjusttonightyouandtthavebeengreatsincesinceilostbrent,andidontknouchiappreciatethat”
danlookedaentionofbrentsnahereaptylaundrybasket
“onefoottotheother,holdingthebasketinfrontofhi“etosorrohinkingofgoingonabikeridehthekids”
andashookherhead“thanks,butithinkillpass”danlookedather,hisexpressiondubious,anda
didntseeonoticesheslippedoffherjacketandsetitonthechairalongforquiteaonight”
“ohhogo”
“youbelievehalfofitifitoldyou”
“didshesay”
“youhadtobetherebutileaedsothingabouthertonight”
danckedaneyebroing
“shestougherthanshelooks,”andasaid
danlaughed“yeah,sure,shestoughallrightshecrieshegoldfishdie”
“thatybetrue,butinalotofrongassheis”
“illbet”
ed
“o
danleftafeinuteslater,anddespitehisattetstofindoutotherhadtoldanda,shehadrefusedtotellhisheunderstoodthereasonsforhertherssilence,bothinthepastandintheyearssince,andkneotherelldanodoso
andaloinadditiontofoldingtheeeredthatbeforeshedleft,thereptycupsontheendtable,ayearsagazinesstackedhaphazardlyonthedeskbythedoor
danhadtakencareofeverythingagain
andatuedoutthelights,thinkingofbrent,thinkingofthelasteightnths,thinkingofheratoneendofthehail;thesterbedroodtoofartotravelattheendofthedaybeforebrenthadpassedafrollbookshlorfuldraheverstotheirchins
tonight,herbrotherhaddohatforherlastnight,noonehaddoneitatall
andaheadedupstairsthehouse,peeking
in
theysleptintfortersderatedtheoutletnearthebledtheirfather
theydstoppedvingkno,theytheirther
thefloorsqueakedbeneathheredtobeholdinghisbreathgregpeekedather,thensnappedhiseyelidsshutasandasatbesidehileaningover,shekissedhinthecheekandranagentlehandthroughhishair
“hey,”shewhispered“areyousleeping”
“yes,”hesaid
andasled“doyoutonightinthebigbed”shewhispered
itseedtotakeantbeforegregunderstoodshedsaid“hyou”
“yeah”
“okay,”hesaid,andandakissedhigain,ovedtoxsbedhishairglitteredgoldinthelightfroheastinsel
“hey,sie”
xse,too”
“ifyouto”
“okay,”hesaid
andasledastheygotup,butandapulledtheaelledlikelittleboys:dirtandsgrass,innocenceitself
“hoorroeicecrea”shesaid
“canaxasked
andasqueezedtheighter,closinghereyes
“alldaylongandthenextday,too,ifyouto”
nieen
itidnightno,adrienneheldthenchasshesatonthebeddanhadcalledanhourearlier,fullofneanda
“shetoldsheorrothattheyneededtospendsotio”hepaused“idontknoyousaid,butigu
... </P></TD>