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It felt like throwing dia to this God that had never listened to her "Katie goes to church every Sunday," she rereen hospital roo Beside her Mrs M sat in aa paperback novel As always, she moved her lips as she read

Tully caht you some coffee" She let her hand rest on Mrs M's shoulder It had been alh Johnny had been called, he was on assignment in Spokane, on the other side of the state

"I guess it's a blessing it happened early," Tully said

"Four months isn't early, Tully," Mrs Mularkey said quietly "And people who haven't had a e always say that It hat Bud said to me Twice" She looked up "It never felt likesomeone I loved You know about that, don't you?"

"Thanks," she said, squeezing Mrs Mularkey's shoulder, and thencloser to the bed "Now I knohat not to say I just wish I kneould help"

Kate opened her eyes and saw them

Mrs Mularkey stood up,shoulder to shoulder with Tully

"Hey," Kate whispered "How long until Johnny--" At her husband's na and she started to shake

"Did someone say my name?"

Tully spun around

He stood in the open doorway, carrying a bouquet of flowers that wilted slightly to the left Everything about hi palette of pale skin and stubbly black beard, his hair was a long, tangled black mess, and his eyes bespoke a bone-deep exhaustion His Levi's were torn and dirty, his khaki shirt had more wrinkles than an un to be a hell of a Visa bill"

He tossed the flowers on a chair and went to his wife "Hey, baby," he whispered "I'"

"It was a boy," Katie said, bursting into tears, clinging to him

Tully heard Johnny start to cry with Kate

Mrs Mularkey came up beside her, slipped an arm around her waist

"He loves her," Tully said slowly The ht with Johnny had somehow blinded her, trapped her like an insect in the sap of a forgotten tiined that Kate was his second choice somehow, his Miss Runner-Up to love

But thisthis was no second choice

Mrs Mularkey pulled her away from the bed "Of course he loves her Come on, let's leave them alone"

They took their coffees and went out into the hallhere Mr M was sitting on an uncomfortable chair When he looked up, his eyes were bloodshot "How is she?"

"Johnny's with her now," Mrs M said, touching his shoulder

For the first time in years, Tully felt like an outsider in this family "I should be with her"

"Don't you worry, Tully," Mrs M said, watching her closely "She'll always need you"

"But things are different now"

"Of course they are Katie's irls are on separate paths, but you'll always be best friends"

Separate paths

There it was; the thing she should have seen but so with Kate during the next few days On Thursday, it was Tully's time She called in sick at work and spent the day with Kate They played cards and watched television and talked Most of the time, to be honest, Tully just listened When it was her turn to answer, she tried to say the right thing, but she was pretty sure she failed more often than not There was a sadness in her friend now, a graying around the edges that was so foreign Tully felt as if she'd stu she said was quite right

Finally, around eight o'clock, Kate said, "I know you'll think I' to bed Johnny will be hoo on houy, Ted"

"Todd And I', she helped Kate up the stairs and got her settled in bed Then she looked down at her "You don't knoto make you feel better"

"You do Thanks" Kate closed her eyes

Tully stood there auncharacteristically ih, she went back downstairs and started on the dishes She was drying the last glass when the door opened quietly, then clicked shut

Johnny stood there, holding a bouquet of pink roses With his newly cropped hair and stonewashed jeans and his white Adidas tennis shoes with the tongues hanging out, he looked about twenty years old In all the years she'd known him, he'd never looked so sad and ruined

"Hey," he said, putting the flowers on the coffee table

"You look like you could use a drink"

"How about an IV drip?" He tried to srabbed a bottle of scotch from the counter and lass of wine and went to hilass froot her coat and followed him outside They sat side by side on the dock, as if they were kids, hanging their legs out over the black waters of Lake Union

It was still and peaceful out here A fullthe rooflines and reflecting in various s The distant hu against the pilings

"How are you doing, really?" Tully asked

"It's Katie I'm worried about"

"I know," she answered, "but I asked about you"

"I've been better" He sipped his drink