第41节

    hihheknotogo””sure.”his

    voiiledback.”ae”

    hopesatonherbedrooloor.abooklayopenbesideher,butshewas

    studyingheradeher,hadifferent

    onth.guineverep

    littleball,kingpreciousfewsounds.

    radli,sheroseandoutiogfeet

    tofiher.heorthekit,

    othersbedrooshefoundhin

    thestudio.

    hesfolded.hewas

    deepiration,studyingvasesthathehadlineduponthe

    oppositesideoftheroo

    shestoodquietlybythedoor,tellingherselfthatybesheshould

    leaveandebacklater.butshealk.

    ”hi,sie,”hesaidandlookedatherfeet.”he

    boots

    ””inrooareyoudoing”sheasked.

    ”lookingatyourthersstuff.shesgood.”

    ”areyoureallygoingtofinishherpictures””idontknowas

    justathought.otherbeangrye

    ifidid”hopedidntthinkso.shehadnteverheardrachelsay

    anythingbadaboutjack.saoldhershejustlistening,but

    shewas.

    ”daddy””,sorrohink

    ysgoingtosjusttakinglohanihad

    hopeditwould.”

    ”uch.theyreing,too.theyre

    pleasedthatshesinghatifrachel

    gettihebadstuffsheodoh

    hercat.sheraisedherarsothatsheuldrubherfa

    guineveresfur.itething

    right.

    ”guineveresgettinge

    anyre.iclap,andshedoesuherhead.shesgoingto

    diesoon,daddy.”hepushedathe,and

    rubbedguineverebetheears.”issheinpain””no.shed

    ohroathurt.shehadtoforce

    the.”daddy,llidohoughtfora

    nute.”youllbesad.youllgrieveforher.”that

    hopeant.”ean,itjust...

    throlikeshehibones.”helookedcross.”you

    shouldntbeplish

    anything.thiselikeshesreadytodie.”but

    hopefelttheurgencyofit.”sheis.ikno,daddy.ifeel

    it.”

    ”yourejustscared.”

    ”no,”sheinsisted.”itshappening.

    soigoingtodo”hefrourossnowas

    unsure.”doyoutodo””itoburyher.”he

    sinute.sheuld

    seethathedidntknoantha.hedidnt

    thinktheheydid.

    ”okay,”hesaid,surprisingher.”youburyher.therestbea

    petceterysohopedid

    cetery.shedidnttohavetogodrivingtoseeguinevere.she

    edtheearby,edguioknohatshewasnearby.

    ”orheforest,”jacksaid,glangoutthe

    window.

    ”souch,hope

    thought,nodding.

    ”done,”hesaidandpulledherclose.

    shedidntsayanythingforanutebecauseherthroathurtagain.

    thistiitwaswrong.hedid

    uand.

    thatanthecared.

    ”daddy”shehear.”youleaveus

    alone,

    annoyedhinough,heuldaand

    youhavetogobaitytoeoostay

    here.”

    ”i.”

    ”doyouprose””iprose.”shesighed.

    evely,allestbitofbreath,shesaid,”ilove

    you.”hedidntahischeekagainstthetopofher

    head,andinthatinstant,thektuedbadshebelieved.

    ovedfrohespot

    herthenightbefore.frightened,sheleanedclose,

    closeenoughsothatthecath.”guin”she

    heheekhafiip.the

    sllestventagainstherfinger,sheletoutabreath.

    shedrapedanarightlyarouandlayclose,thinking,i

    loveyou,guinevere,iloveyou,ahewhisperofananswering

    purr.thenitstopped.forseveralnutes,hopedidntve.

    ”guin

    ”sherokedthecatsheadandedforapurr,

    strokedagain,edagain.herehing,sheburiedher

    headinguineveresolingfuraocry.

    ”hope”jaalled,ingtothedoor.”areyouup”gulping

    sobsbubbledupfroheyonly

    greloser,hopingshewaswrong,hoping

    sheter.sheuldjeelit,agiant

    etiness,abighole,ahugealoneness.

    ”sie”hetouchedherhead.”hope,isit”hetouchedthe

    cat,lefthishandthereanute,andjusthinkingthat

    shedidntknosheodobecauseeverythingsheloved

    alsaroundherandguinevereboth,and

    leanedoverclose.

    hedidntsayanything,justsatthereshelteringtheandwhen

    santhaaskinghey

    goingtoday.guineverejustdied.”

    ”iorry,hope,”santhasaid,softlynoloseby.

    ”oldher.”totakethebus

    today

    ”hopedidnthearanansartedgagain,because

    theantha

    theonesheedjustthen.theonesheedwasholding

    hertight.

    ifaoldjackthataandhisfirbr>

    tingfireoplankstobuilda

    tinyffinforacat,hetted.butitseed

    likethebestthingtodo.

    hopesatonthegroundnearby.guineverehewashwo

    babyafghanthatrarochetedandthathopehadslepthfor

    thefirsteightyearsofherlife.tattersandall,itwasherprized

    possession.onceshe,shestoppedg.she

    heldherbuhoughitweregold.

    jarto

    nail.

    allffinwasfinished,hedugagr

    ...