Page 32 (1/2)

Her mother joined Allison and slid an arm around her shoulders

"It was man to man," Zach said

"Dad!" she cried in frustration

He s her

"Anson wanted to give you a Valentine card," he explained

Allison pressed her hand to her heart This was so incredibly sweet and romantic she could hardly believe it

"He felt he should talk to me first He did proo back on his word"

"I can have it, can’t I?" She’d die, simply die, if her father said no

Her father hesitated "I was impressed that he’d come and ask my permission"

"He respects you, Dad" She knew that just froone to court "You told him I could have the card, didn’t you? Oh please, it would mean so much" She hated to plead, but this was quite possibly the most important moment of her life

Her father pulled a thick envelope from inside his jacket and held it out

"Oh, Daddy, thank you! Thank you so aze flew to her father’s "He didn’t?"

"Zach," her rinned and handed Allison the envelope She needed every ounce of restraint not to rip it open right then and there Instead, she took it to her room She sat on the end of her bed and very carefully opened the envelope The card was expensive and roht sheof four sheets of paper, folded into fourths Before she read it, she studied the inside verse and blinked back tears at the sentiment

"Soon," Anson had written at the bottoned his na it as fast as she could When she’d finished she went back and read it all the way through a second ti toa dishwasher wasn’t as easy as it sounded, and he struggled to keep up with the deuy who didn’t put up with any nonsense Anson claimed he didn’t mind that, because he knehere he stood

He also told her that if he continued to work extra hours, he could have the reimbursement monies paid by the middle of the suain She noticed he didn’t refer to any of his troubles with this other guy, Tony

Sixmonths, but she could wait

The last part of the letter was the best Anson wrote how difficult it was to see her every day and not be able to talk to her In French class, he said, he found it almost impossible to keep his pro her father had done for hihts he drea inside

She drea it would be another six e now and she would be soon All of this seeh and yet, at the saether and not alienate her parents

She sighed heavily as she folded the letter and slipped it back inside the card She ran her finger over the ee--an old-fashioned picture of cupids and flowers It was an expensive card bought at a specialty store

Even when he was putting aside almost every penny he earned in order to pay restitution to the town, he’d bought her a lovely Valentine card There’d been no need to purchase the best one available, but that hat he’d done

Her heart was so full of love for him that she wanted to weep Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sudden movement, a flash of darkness She rose from her bed and hurried to the

Anson

He wore his long black coat and a black knit hat that covered his ears

Anson walked across the yard and stood on the other side of the

She s into his

He pressed his bare hand to the cold glass She pressed her hand to his Through the glass theyhis card and letter--it was the best Valentine’s gift she’d ever received

Thirty-Three

Maryellen Bow Katie and dressed her daughter for bed Katie stuck her feet in her footed paja when Jon walked into her roo his palesture acknowledging the baby nestled in her woht," he offered

Maryellen agreed She’d had a busy day at the gallery and was exhausted She’d experienced this sanant with Katie--and the baby she’d y was used up by eight o’clock Jon never co her husband enough attention

"Co the side of his face "Itime with you"

"You’ll be asleep"