第66节

    【】oldherabouttheloonshehaddohedeerhe

    haddohursdaynight,andthequailshehaddonefridaynight.he

    gaiualkingaboutthelorshehadusedandtheeffectshe

    hadsought,gotcaughtupientandsatisfa.hisfacewas

    hanafootfroachelsthee,buthesawno

    vent.

    theylefte

    fbagofsandpatientstandingin

    liookadeepbreath,toldhielfthatheinarushto

    getahope,andasfrayedashethoughthe

    heyreachedthefrontoftheline.heuallyin

    theddleofpayinghought.”perollsfordun

    andfaith”hopessurprisedsleheanswerheneeded.he

    boughtadozen.

    jaightdosdrahe

    hillsbhjob,andthereoreofrachelsodo,buthe

    barelylastediudiofortinutes.forohing,there

    david,thefolloessage,her

    ht

    selfthereandleavingthegirlsalone.

    santhahadgonebaafterlunch,soithope,

    sofahabook.herpresence

    th.hesprahisheadbadslept

    foranhour.ched,thenhadadistincturge

    tove.

    ”issanthastillinherrooheasked,sittingup.

    ssorsyes.

    ”onthephone””no.sheskingherselfbeautiful.”itwassaid

    thathechided,”youllbedoingit,too,before

    long.togoforalosedherbook.

    jaanthaseforah

    us””ijustyhair,”shecalledout.

    ”youuldstille.”

    ”takehope.illstayhere.”jackstoodatherdoorforanother

    nute.asdifficultasshees,hereallydidher

    along.thereethingaboutthethreeoftheeingtogetherthat

    seedreiortantafterthegrandthersvisit.heily,

    dait,hedid.helikedbeinghhisdaughters.theyfilledup

    theetinessoferies,dehisliferefull.

    thereethingaboutsanthasproeingthatnight.it

    ilestohingtorkit,edto

    sohoakeupforrachelssingit.

    ”areyousure”hecalledafinalti.

    ”positive,”sheyelled.

    fearihingsitgo.

    hehadbroughthishikingbootsfrohecitythethursdaybefore.he

    hadntsihedivorce,buttheyfeltgoodonhisfeet.he

    puterandsnaabak,slippediton,ah

    hope.

    shehadteorarilytradedherluckybootsforhikingbootsofherown,

    andagoodthingitoween

    spreadihey

    clied,atotherstheyraight.hesunbrokethrough

    theoverheadboughs,ittouchedthebuttheairreinedol,

    parti.jackfelttheanticipation

    ofit,heardthecresdoingrushofeintosight,

    hedisveredituch,speky

    bedintieredades.

    theystoppedabyitsside,sayingnothing,justgthe

    bubblingplayandlisteningtotheflow.

    eofyear.byfall,

    itsonlyatrickle.”sheledhicrhplankedbridgeandon

    throughafragranteueadoperature

    jued.”seedunssheep”sheasked.

    theygrazedinrandolustersinthesun.itof

    lor,hthedeepgreenofliveoaksianceblangto

    thenehespringgrass,interspersedhpatchesofred

    poppyandyellohesheep,htheirgrayeatsand

    theirbrouzzles,payiheedastheycrossed

    thetopoftheadow.

    theyntihroughoakanddroneonnopathjackuldsee,

    buthopeseedtoknoogo,aaclip.bythe

    tithelandtippedanderged.itwas

    evenerhere.astheyshirtand

    tieditaroundhisovedhigher,intoastandofpines,

    andbeyondthose,theworldsuddenlygapedopen.

    theyitsoquicklythatheprepared.”wow”hope

    slantedhiknoile.”isntit””illsay.”theywere

    higherthahought,lookingintothebellyoftheyonover

    thetopsofpinesandfirs.justasspeularhesuessionof

    ridgesbeyond.thoseredistaheo,edh

    fog.

    jackhadtakenhisdaughterstoirorethanondthose

    ethingelse.rachelkne

    breathtakingant.

    theysatonthegroundlookingout,legscrossed,drinkingbottled

    un”

    heasked.

    shechoedonanut.”uhhuh.hloveit.youlookoutandthe

    keepsgoing.”jacklookedout,andthekeep

    going.theodidthat.

    buttherehesenseofendlessfingersofgrachyh

    pine,ilesdoheast.

    irhavethat.youuldcloseyoureyesaend,

    butite.thelose.here,itwaseasier

    tobreathe,ineveryseheword.

    heglahope,abouttosaythat,thenstopped.she,too,was

    lookingout,butherbr”hereyesflew

    tohis,theuedtothevieinutebefore,quietly,

    shesaid,”doyouthinkhereagain”hisinsides

    shifted.ittheknottingheusedtofeel,thatter.

    thisethinghigher,sothingrecloselytiedtohisheart.

    ”itothinkso.”

    ”butyoudontknow.”

    ”noneofusdo.”

    ”ifshedies””shesnotabouttodothat.”

    ”aforyears”tendaysbefore,hewould

    havedehepossibility.fivedaysbefore,hewouldhavedenied

    it.butthedoctorshadtakenracheloutofintensivecarealed

    herintularroosheheendofhersend

    atoseweek.

    everythingelseseedtobehealingbutherhead.hergcssre

    hadntbudged.

    still,inaaforyearstheygrasp

    theiraning.

    hopepionebyooher

    uth.shetookadri

    ...