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"I fixed your android," she said finally, her voice squeaking a little She grabbed the android’s li but droop

Garan turned his distraught gaze on her and looked for ato ask who she was and what she was doing in his house He opened histime for any words to form

"Oh, child"

She frowned at the obvious pity This was not a reaction she’d expected--he was not i he must not have heard her correctly, she went to repeat herself--no, she’d fixed the android--when Adri ca the robe she alhen she wasn’t planning on going out She had a dish towel in her hand and her two daughters trailing in her wake

"Garan?"

He stu his shoulder hard into the wall, and everyone froze

"Don’t--" he staetically as a droplet of water fell onto his nose "I’ve called for an eency hover"

The curiosity hardened on Adri’s face "Whatever for?"

Cinder pressed herself as far as she could into the wall, feeling like she was pinned between two people who hadn’t the faintest idea she was standing there

Garan folded his arht it," he whispered, his eyes beginning to water

Cinder glanced back at Peony, wondering if these wordsCinder any attention

"I’ He shuffled back toward the door "I shouldn’t even have come inside But I had to say…I had to…" He covered his h, or a sob, Cinder couldn’t tell which "I love you all so much I’m so sorry I’m so, so sorry"

"Garan" Adri took half a step forward, but her husband was already turning away The front door shut a second later, and Pearl and Peony cried out at the saht theirls, stay here Both of you" Her voice was tre after Garan herself, her night robe swishing against Cinder’s legs as she passed

Cinder inched forward so she could see the door being swung open around the corner Her heart thuainst her ribs

"GARAN!" Adri screao!"

Cinder was sla for her father, then Peony, sobbing

No one paused No one looked at Cinder or the android in their hurry for the door Cinder realized after athe android’s skeletal ar to the sobs and pleas, the Nos, the Daddys The words echoed off the snow and back into the house

Releasing the android, Cinder hobbled forward She reached the threshold that overlooked the blindingly white world and paused Adri and Pearl and Peony were on their knees in the cleared pathway, slush soaking into their clothes, while Garan stood on the curb, a forgotten hand still pressed over his htest ould blow him over into the snowdrifts

Cinder heard sirens

"What aoose buainst her "What will I do?"

A door slammed and Cinder looked up The old hbors were eht with curiosity

Adri sobbed louder, and Cinder returned her attention to the fa her

She stared back, her throat burning frolanced down at his huddled wife, his terrified daughters "My girls," he said, trying to shts turned the corner, screa its arrival