第75节

    【】uhesends.

    jackdidntknotodo.heenedandunsure,as

    terrifiedbythegratingsoundsracheldeashehetingeof

    herskin.

    forati,hesilystoodaroundeachofthegirls,but

    theyired.eventually,theysatdohebed,thegirls

    ononeside,jatheother.hetriedtothinkofthingstosay,

    butitseediortant,soiortant,tolistentothosegasping

    sounds,toheartheslightestagihattherewerewords

    intheresowhere.

    ”shesoundsauzful,”santhaonepoint.

    jaodded.heheldrachelshand,oasionallytoueor

    heedthoughtitironirapesonthesideof

    herfah

    etohirolongago

    eryfraghendthey

    ergedanyway.deargod,helpher

    .

    ..giveherstrength...ietherheal...serveyouagain..

    .

    thesendhan,andthegaspinginished.”hangin

    there,”jackrred.”youlihel.breathelongand

    sloadeadrysound.

    ”anthaasked.

    ”ond.whenyouwerebo.i

    achedher.hanginthere,rachel.youdoit.breathelongand

    sloe.”

    ”yellingandsiled.”actually,yes.

    youbirth.

    veryvocal.youletuskhing,allright.”

    ”e”hopeasked.

    ”lessvocal.”hissleerieswere

    s.

    ”insouch,sowehad

    toguess.youguysolaidyou

    b.”

    ”hoell”hopeasked.

    ”theoved.sareactiveeventhen.”

    ”butislidouteasier.”

    ”senddeliveriesarelikethat.shehadto.”

    heheardthatbreathingagain,asloudasever.hisslefaded.

    ”longandslohere,angel.youredoinggood,youredoing

    good.”katherinearrivedlookingpale,upset,andtotallydifferent

    fronyotherkhadseenher.herfaurls

    adozenshadesofbeigecaughtupinaponytail.

    sheupsuitandsneakers.onlyherfingeails

    eventhen,lighter.theywerepink.

    jacktookfortinherpresence.evenpaleandupset,shenveyed

    petence.shekhing

    he.

    sheewar.

    thegirlstothecafeteriafordrinks,shesaid,”thanks

    forcalling.iessageassoonasigot

    back.”shedeageneralgesturetoe,

    apologetietoshower.”

    ”youlookgreat,”hesaid.askepticallook,he

    added,”ierious.allnatural.veryrachel.thanksf.”

    hetouhelslips.theyed,airgratinginandout.

    ”ididntexpectthis.thegirlsareprettyshakey

    shaken.”

    ”thediely.

    ”ivebeenpraying.itsthefirsttiinyears.idontto

    loseher,katherine.doyouthiohearthat”katherine

    lookedathindsighed.”yourenotabadlookingguy.needa

    haireedashave.butyouupgood.so,yeah.shed

    tohearit.ypoint,

    ”jacksaid,butthegirlsretuedthen,andheriookher

    teahthanksandsuggestedthatjacktakethegirlsbacktothe

    cafeteriaforbreakfast,hefiguredhedleavewellenoughalone.

    ”hi,there.”katherinehebedrail,lettingrachel

    knoingforher,evebauerwalkedin.shehad

    knoitiided

    tokeupandusse.shefigureditetogivehi

    previeoroussideoftheanshewas.

    ”shappeninghere”sheasked,straightening.

    ”clot.drip..”

    ”ahh.thanks.”heapproachedthebed,studiedrachel,thenthe

    nitor.headjustedthesolutiondrippingfroheivbag,then

    leanedinandsaidinavoiceloudandauthoritativeenoughtobeheard

    overherbreathing,”rachelipeedingupthedrip.youfeel

    thege,butitshouldhelp.

    ”katherinesensedhisworry.”shouldshehavealreadyresponded”

    hekedtheore.”

    ”hoethinglikethisaffecttheaitsof

    it””it.itynot.”hetuedhisblueeyesonher,along

    allsle.”howareyou””nervous.”

    ”ilattered.”

    ”nervousaboutrachel,”shesaid,fogagainonherfriend.there

    adeh

    everybreath.

    ”invious.hoshehad

    neverhadafriendlikerachel.”ifeellikeiveknownherforever,

    uchalike.”

    ”youlookrealikenohanusual.

    ””ashenskinbluelips””unadoed.youlookpretty.”jackhad

    saidthesathing,butitfeltdifferentingfroteve.

    shesqueezedraeagain.”

    ”no.justsayinginforthelonghaul.”beforesheuldbeginto

    analyzethat,hesaid,”soyouandrachelarealike.tellhow.”

    katherineulddothat.”shesanonlyi.shegrewup

    iy.sodidi.shehatedit.sodidi.””why””in

    ratoawayoflifeshe

    didntlike.”

    ”inyours””ifeltlost.ilikebuingintopeopleiknow.”

    ”likerickltzer”rickheahesiologist

    hea.sheshouldhaveknoeveice.”likerick,”she

    adtted,sinyingitakehiurious.”ialsolike

    privahere,andyoureintheddleof

    nowhere.

    forsoonelikerachel,thatsiortant.shesartistic.wehave

    thatinn,too.”

    ”thenitisntjusthedeaspeedysnippingtion.

    ”no.itisntjust.”sheheldhisgaze.”theresanartt

    andstylinghair.eveninthat,rachelandiarealike.”

    ”ho.wespendourprofessional

    livestryingtoutthebestandstbeautifulofnature

    hastooffer.”shelookedatrachelagain,suddefulof

    shesaw.

    ”idontthinkshedlikethesebluelips.”

    ”we

    ...