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Tully felt an unexpected pinch of nostalgia for their youth They'd spenttheir separate, lonely lives and braiding them into a rope of friendship She lay down beside Kate, scooting close enough that their shoulders were touching After the last few days, she needed to know that her best friend was finally beside her She positioned her transistor radio nearby and turned up the volus was even worse than usual," Kate said "I did talk Sean into eating a slug, though It orth the week's allowance I lost" She giggled "You should have seen his face when I started laughing Aunt Georgia tried to talk to me about birth control Can you believe it? She said I should--"

"Do you even kno lucky you are?" The words were out before Tully could stop the like jelly beans froht and turned, until she was lying sideways in the grass, looking at Tully "You usually want to hear everything about the ca trip"

"Yeah, well I've had a bad week"

"Did you get fired?"

"That's your idea of a bad week? I want your perfect life, just for a day"

Kate drew back, frowning "You sound pissed at hed "You're my best friend"

"So, who are you mad at?"

"Cloud Gran God Take your pick" She took a deep breath and said, "Gran died while you were gone"

"Oh, Tully"

And there it hat Tully had been waiting for all week So her eyes; before she knew it, she was crying Big, gulping sobs that wracked her body and made it impossible to breathe, and all the while, Kate held her, letting her cry, saying nothing

When there were no tears left inside, Tully s you felt sorry for h"

"I know" Tully lay back against the log and stared up at the night sky She wanted to admit that she was scared and that as alone as she'd sometimes felt in life, she knehat real loneliness was, but she couldn't say the words, not even to Kate Thoughts--even fears--were airy things, foriven that weight, they could crush you

Kate waited a moment, then said, "So ill happen?"

Tully wiped her eyes and reached into her pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes Lighting one up, she took a drag and coughed It had been years since she'd so into foster care It's only for a while, though When I' to live with strangers," Kate said fiercely "I'll find Cloud and "

Tully didn't bother answering She loved her friend for saying it, but they lived in two different worlds, she and Kate In Tully's world,your oay

What

And the best way not to care was to surround yourself with noise and people She'd learned that lesson a long ti here in Snohomish In no ti her back to her lovely new family, full of displaced teens and the people paid to house theht The one you wrote about in your last letter"

"At Karen's house? The summer's-end bash-o-rama?"

"Exactly"

Kate frowned "My folks would have a cow if they found out I went to a kegger"

"We'll tell the at my house across the street Your et caught--"

"You won't" Tully saorried her friend was, and she knew she should stop this plan right now It was reckless, erous But she couldn't stop the train If she didn't do soooey darkness of her own fears She'd think about the mother who'd so often and so repeatedly abandoned her, and the strangers hoone "We won't get caught I promise" She turned to Kate "You trust me, don't you?"

"Sure," Kate said slowly

"Great Then we're going to the party"

"Kids! Breakfast is ready"

Kate was the first one to sit down

Mom had just put a plate of pancakes down on the table when there was a knock at the door

Kate juet it" She ran for the door and yanked it open, feigning surprise "Mom, look It's Tully Gosh, I haven't seen you in forever"

Moth red velour robe and pink fuzzy slippers "Hey, Tully, it's good to see you again Wetrip this year, but I kno important your job is"

Tully lurched forward Looking up, she started to say so, but no sound ca at Kate'stoward Tully "What's going on?"

"My gran died," Tully said softly

"Oh, honey" Mo time Finally, Mom drew back, put an ar rooriddle, Katie," Mo back

Kate turned off the griddle and then followed the in the curl of the archway that separated the two rooms Neither of them seemed to care that she was there

"Did weTully's hand

Tully nodded "Everyone said they were sorry I officially hate those words now"