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"She’ll get over me," he said

The older ht In due tiood deal like her mother when it comes to love"

Chet hadn’t a clue what that uilt was filled to capacity and overflowing

"Good-bye, Chet I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me" He patted Chet’s upper arm as if he were little more than a schoolboy and then a in the doorway, Chet watched as Monica’s father absently walked down the hallway, strolling past the elevator He turned around, looking confused, when he reached the end of the hall

Chet shut the door, leaned against the thick white glass, and closed his eyes He seneral rule looked like crap, and this hter

There was soure out where

He was dizzy again and decided it was probably due to the fact that he hadn’t eaten since the day before The alcohol hadn’t helped

After showering and fixing hi to eat he felt better He’d finished his scraht subtly presented itself to him Monica was at the Mission House Hadn’t her father said so hio down there" He reached for his television controller, his finger poised over the Power button

"You’re a fool," Chetthere was no force on this earth that could keep hi to her None The picture s in the place gave a noticed He’d go down, check out what her father had said, and slip aithout anyone being the wiser It was so he’d done a thousand tiood at this sort of thing

With purpose directing him, Chet locked up his office, and when the elevator didn’t arrive fast enough to suit him, he took the stairs

TheIt amazed Chet how easily he was able to find Monica in the crowd of workers There see on He spied Lloyd Fischer serving turkey with all the tri line of derelicts

Monica was in another part of the roo the up at the book she was holding A toddler was fidgeting in her lap, reaching for her dangly earrings

This hat hell must be like, Chet decided To stand hidden in some corner and view the woman he loved so much it defied reason, and knoould never have her Hell atching her hold a child in her ar she would never hold their child

She was pale, Chet realized with regret, and dark circles shadowed her eyes No wonder her father was concerned Monica wasn’t faring any better than Chet was himself He wanted to shake some reason into her, but that was part of his hell too He would never touch her again

Co here had not been one of his most brilliant ideas He took a step back, and then another, and was ready to turn and walk ahen Monica’s gaze suddenly, unexplainably, locked with his

Chet read her shock and watched the book she was holding tuers and fall to the floor

Chet’s heart faltered He couldn’t turn and walk away Then she’d know his ga on her He had to do so and do it fast

His shoes ainst the sidewalk as he slammed into the Mission House door He walked past the soup kitchen andwith the children He braced his feet and glared down at her, sneering

"Tell your father to stay away from me," he ordered coolly

Monica’s eyes widened with shock

Not giving her a chance to recover, he turned and walked out, leaving the door to slam in his wake

Jody let herself into the house that evening, sa on the carpet in the faa into the kitchen

"Hi, Mom," he called out "Grandma called"

Jody’s blood ran cold "Grandht away She said--oh, darn--"

"What did she say?" Jody asked, hoping to hide her anxiety It was ti purchased Tiame systeht away that she would call you"

Jody wasn’t up to another confrontation with Gloria

"Glen’s co for her son’s reaction, hoping to gain confidence in his enthusiasht I’d hetti"

"Sure He’ll like that" Tiaze didn’t waver from the television screen, his attention rapt

Inviting Glen to dinner so they could talk to Tiement had been Glen’s idea Jody had ih now she wished she’d discussed thewith her son much sooner

Jody didn’t doubt that Timmy would be thrilled After all, this hat he wanted His nine-year-old heart had yearned for a father, and his desire hat opened her eyes to the way she’d isolated her life

"You want to help er before they’d eat

"In a minute"

Jody rolled her eyes She’d heard that phrase often enough to have it etched into the patio ay

Seeing that she wasn’t going to get round turkey and set the sauce to simmer Once she’d finished, she reached for the phone and dialed her mother’s number If ever she needed emotional support it was now