oseyouontselikethis,aandaidontthinkthereseverbeenatiorebutlately,youhaventbeentherefortheiknoookeepgoinglikethisbrenthaveedit,andyourchildrenarepayingtheprice”asadriennefinished,andaseedtobestudyingthetablebutthen,alstasifvinginslootion,sheraisedherheadandlookedupaschassheandahinking
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,”andasaidfinallydanshrugged“nobigdealenjoyit”
andasvoiesyouvedohatlatelynotjusttonightyouandtthavebeengreatsincesinceilostbrent,andidontknouchiappreciatethat”danlookedaentionofbrentsnahereaptylaundrybasket“onefoottotheother,holdingthebasketinfrontofhi“etosorrohinkingofgoingonabikeridehthekids”andashookherhead“thanks,butithinkillpass”danlookedather,hisexpressiondubious,andadidntseeonoticesheslippedoffherjacketandsetitonthechairalongforquiteaonight”“ohhogo”
“youbelievehalfofitifitoldyou”
“didshesay”
“youhadtobetherebutileaedsothingabouthertonight”danckedaneyebroing
“shestougherthanshelooks,”andasaid
danlaughed“yeah,sure,shestoughallrightshecrieshegoldfishdie”“thatybetrue,butinalotofrongassheis”
“illbet”
ed
“o
danleftafeinuteslater,anddespitehisattetstofindoutotherhadtoldanda,shehadrefusedtotellhisheunderstoodthereasonsforhertherssilence,bothinthepastandintheyearssince,andkneotherelldanodosoandaloinadditiontofoldingtheeeredthatbeforeshedleft,thereptycupsontheendtable,ayearsagazinesstackedhaphazardlyonthedeskbythedoordanhadtakencareofeverythingagain
andatuedoutthelights,thinkingofbrent,thinkingofthelasteightnths,thinkingofheratoneendofthehail;thesterbedroodtoofartotravelattheendofthedaybeforebrenthadpassedafrollbookshlorfuldraheverstotheirchinstonight,herbrotherhaddohatforherlastnight,noonehaddoneitatallandaheadedupstairsthehouse,peeking
in
theysleptintfortersderatedtheoutletnearthebledtheirfathertheydstoppedvingkno,theytheirther
thefloorsqueakedbeneathheredtobeholdinghisbreathgregpeekedather,thensnappedhiseyelidsshutasandasatbesidehileaningover,shekissedhinthecheekandranagentlehandthroughhishair“hey,”shewhispered“areyousleeping”
“yes,”hesaid
andasled“doyoutonightinthebigbed”shewhispereditseedtotakeantbeforegregunderstoodshedsaid“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
