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At three that afternoon, Allison Cox showed up at the office, justher father, who’d left to meet with a client Allison y and classic-featured, a lovely girl She wore her dark-brown hair long, all the way to the ray wool coat, Cecilia saw that she’d dressed for the office in a green plaid skirt and white turtleneck sweater When Cecilia had first irl had rebelled against the destruction of her family and lashed out at those around her Cecilia liked to think that their friendship had helped Allison In reality, she supposed, it was her parents’ reconciliation that had changed the girl’s outlook on life Still Cecilia liked to think she’d been a good influence, and Mr Cox had frequently o, and Allison was now a high school senior

"It’s so good to see you," Allison said, hugging Cecilia, although it’d been less than a ?"

Cecilia pressed her hand to her sto Want to feel?"

Allison’s eyes widened "Sure"

Cecilia held the girl’s hand over her stomach and watched as Allison stared intently, bit her lower lip and then after a long "

"Itto renancy before Ian could feel their daughter’s moveuess I’d better get to work"

Cecilia set her up at a vacant desk across fro firm hired extra help, every square inch of space was used by teh April of every year

Allison had been working for an hour when Mary Lou, who staffed the front desk, hurried into their work area "There’s a youngto see you," Mary Lou said to Allison She cast a doubtful look at Cecilia as if to say she wasn’t sure she’d done the right thing

"Did he give you his name?" Allison asked

"No, but he said you’d knoho he is"

"What’s he wearing?"

Mary Lou edged closer and lowered her voice "He has a goatee and has on a long black coat that’s got chains attached He’s wearing a big cross, too I don’tyou, he looks a bit scary"

"That’s Anson" Allison stood and went out to the front She was gone for ten ht jubilant--when she returned

Cecilia was more than a little curious "What was that about?" she asked Without being obvious, she’d h one of the office s Cecilia understood Mary Lou’s concerns The boy’s hair was long, greasy and dark His overcoat fanned out froh he had weapons concealed beneath it Presumably he didn’t, but still…He wasn’t the type of boy Cecilia expected Allison to be interested in

"I barely know him," Allison claimed "He’s in my French class and he sits beside me We’ve talked a couple of times and that’s about it"

"How did he know you were here?"

Allison shrugged "One of my friends must’ve told him"

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"Not really He asked about our French assignlanced down at the floor "That was just an excuse, though, ’cause then he asked what I was doing tonight"

Cecilia nodded, a little worried about the girl’s attraction to this self-styled rebel

"He lives with his et along very well," she said thoughtfully

Cecilia didn’t knohat to say "Would you go out with him if he asked?" she murmured Whether Allison ad about her said so

"I…I don’t know, but it’s irrelevant Anson hasn’t asked and I doubt that he will Guys like Anson don’t go out They hang out"

It was obvious that Mr Cox hadn’t ine how he’d react if he found his daughter with Anson

"Be careful," Cecilia warned softly

"Why?"