第25节

  【】rgirlsnugtshirt,slieans,longhairsh</p>

  everyve.actually,lydiaexactlyliketheothers.shestill</p>

  oresthansophisticated.herhair</p>

  asstraight,shiny,a.shehadnaturalwaves.sodid</p>

  theirls.noanthashestraightest.</p>

  sheostsophisticatedlookingofthebunch.</p>

  hesureifthatwasgoodorbad.</p>

  ”thedoctorssaysheshealing,”heanswered.</p>

  ”efrobr></p>

  thelistwashers.</p>

  ”ybeinanotherdayortaterializedangthe</p>

  girls,lookingevenyounger.”irendan.aystotellyou</p>

  shestotallyontopofplansfortheprosoyoushouldntworry</p>

  aboutathing.shetalkedanthasnnday,and</p>

  everythi.”santhapushedherfriendsback.”o</p>

  go.</p>

  ”sheslaedthedoor.</p>

  ”sset”jackasked.</p>

  ”prolasleave.i.”heputthegear</p>

  andpulledatheschool.”isthis””theonei</p>

  needadressfor.itoldyouaboutit.”sheghthave,buthedhad</p>

  alotonhisnd.”youreonlyfifteen.”froehindhibr></p>

  eantto,”ninth</p>

  ahhaveapro”</p>

  ”anthasaid.”iobuya</p>

  dressthiseifser.she</p>

  shouldhavegood.”</p>

  ”itisnt”askedhope,nolpeaared.</p>

  ”itsfine,”jacksaid.”thedoctorsarepleasedhherprogress.</p>

  ””anthaasked.</p>

  ”vitalsigns.allgood.”hedidntkosay.rachelwas</p>

  onlysupposedtobeinaaforadayorthoughtshe</p>

  tling.</p>

  ”daddy”frohebackseat.</p>

  ”was</p>

  supposedtorunit,butifshehasabrokenleg,shebeableto</p>

  drive,anditansgoingbadforthtosallingother</p>

  andpigstuffupandallthat.”jackfeltalittlelikehewas</p>

  holdinganaroadofbricks,staggeringhtheadditionofohen</p>

  anotherandanother.heuldhandlebuyingadressforthepro</p>

  allthatantandinginastore,sayingyesoo,andprodug</p>

  aard.runningapiicethingelse.itsoundedpretty</p>

  tinsungtohiottontionoutofhisrealillhad</p>

  hisoodo.heuldigallheedforadayor</p>

  three.butithere,hangingheavyandhardinthebackof</p>

  hisnd.it,too,o.</p>

  hefiguredheuldfillthecarhterbottlesofsodaa</p>

  theoadesignatedspot,ybeevenbuyaupleofdozensubs.but</p>

  runthehingtherehadtobeanotherparent.</p>

  ”illber””y</p>

  does.andtellheraboutytdothat.”</p>

  ”abouthershoanthaasked.</p>

  ”ets.itsa</p>

  galleryhereincarl.”</p>

  ”iknotsis.”heovedfroheart</p>

  selhadgalleryafter</p>

  gallery.p.eetshebest.</p>

  hepressed.</p>

  ”theopeningistsunday.ifsheisntawakeby</p>

  then””shellbeaofthingsrachelwas</p>

  ssinguddling</p>

  along.</p>

  ”butifsheisntorifshedoesntilaweek</p>

  beforethepaintingsarentdone.sheabout</p>

  that.ithinkyoualkhben.”</p>

  ”ben””benahegallery.hestheoneup</p>

  thesho.</p>

  theyvebeendating,”sheaddedgly,heithought.”well,youare</p>

  divorced.youdidntexpectthatshedsitarounddoingnothing,did</p>

  youyoudate.doesjillsayaboutyourbeingdownhere”</p>

  ”jilluandsthatihaveresponsibilities,”hesaid.atleast,</p>

  heassudthatsheuood.heohercall.heowedher</p>

  lotsofothercalls.</p>

  ”bensellsreofhananyofthealleriesdo.hes</p>

  givingherasoloshopressed.</p>

  ”anthaasked.”thisisthe</p>

  onlysoloslothehasfornths.shereallyedit.dowe</p>

  do”hefeltatheloadheheld.hisshoulders</p>

  ached.thebrihisarartingtoteeter.”illtalk</p>

  hben,”hesaidandtuckedthethoughtakbehindagrowing</p>

  needforrachelto.</p>

  thethoughtdidntstaytuckedathe</p>

  hospitalhegirlsarrived.hehadaubuhairand</p>

  dglasses,anaveragelookingnhregardtoheight,</p>

  ,andpresenertainlynotoohtheeyewhenhe</p>

  enteredarooertainlynottheoffbeatpersonalityjackwouldhave</p>

  guessedrachelhoughtjackwas</p>

  iveben,butitworkedfor</p>

  hi</p>

  beteshirt,lytuckedintotailrayslacks,</p>

  andthereputationofthegallery,jackguessedhehadtobecapable</p>

  enough.</p>

  theahingelse.everythingaboutherscread</p>

  rebel,frohepinkstreaksinherhairtothehalfdozenearringsshe</p>

  oherlayeredtanktopsandskinnyskirt.shewas</p>

  clearlyanartist.jackguessedshehadnthitthirtyyet.hehadher</p>

  peggedasthesculptressinrachelsbookgroupevenbeforetheywere</p>

  introduced.</p>

  benhe</p>

  introdusbutquiusedonrachel.herfaceeful,</p>

  pale,andstill.thetinykishehadntved</p>

  sincehehadseenherlast.</p>

  hetouadehieel</p>

  better,asthoughhehadeveryrightihere.</p>

  thegirls,staringatrachel,uohope,athis</p>

  elbototellheryoudidinschooltoday””i</p>

  fluhtest,”santhaannouncedbeforehopeuldspeak.</p>

  ”didyou”jaanschoolwas</p>

  suddenlyhisnce.</p>

  hopeidlittlevoice,”shejust</p>

  saidthattoseeifyhears.hi,y.its,hope.itill</p>

  yluckyboots.”</p>

  ”thatissodu,”santhasaid.</p>

  ”itisnot.theykethinkaboutsundaynight.ibr></p>

  untilsheduns.</p>

  ihopeshesokay.”sheraisedfrightene</p>

  ...</p>