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Chapter Three

"Beth, why don’t you go to bed?" Brian says to et some sleep"

My , despite the pleas froh food in the refrigerator to feed an ar for everyone just so we don’t have to eat the sympathy food, as she refers to it I’o-tofood off at the house I’ve had fried chicken for everyafter Les died, and that was four days ago

I walk to the stove and take the spoon out of her hands, then rub her shoulder with hs It’s not a good sigh, either It’s a sigh that all but says, "I’o sit on the couch I can finish this," I say to her She nods and walks ai room I watch from the kitchen as she takes a seat and leans her head back into the couch, looking up to the ceiling Brian takes a seat next to her and pulls her to hiain I can see it in the way she slurabs hold of his shirt

I look away

"Maybe you should coainst the counter "Just for a little while It et away"

He’s the only one who still calls ht, but the fact that I was na other than Dean I only see him a couple of times a year, so it doesn’t bother me too h

I look at hi on to Brian in the living roo her Especially now"

He’s been trying to get me to move to Austin with him since they divorced The truth is, I like it here I haven’t liked visiting s reuess toome of Les, here

"Well, my offer doesn’t expire," he says "You know that"

I nod and switch off the burner "It’s ready," I say

Brian comes back to the kitchen with Pam and we all take seats at the table, butinto the couch throughout dinner

I’ood-bye to my father and Pam when Amy pulls up in front of our house She waits for my father’s car to clear, then she pulls into our driveway I walk to the driver’s side door and open it for her

She s the lasses It’s been dark for over an hour now, yet she’s still wearing sunglasses That can only

I haven’t really talked to her much in the past four days, but I don’t have to ask her how she’s holding up She and Les have been best friends for seven years If there’s anyone that feels like I do right now, it’s her And I’ up all that well

"Where’s Thomas?" I ask when she steps out of the car

She pushes her blonde hair away fro theo help his dad with so the two of theether before Les and I even rade, so it’s been a while

"How’s your mom?" she asks As soon as she says it, she shakes her head apologetically "I’m sorry, Holder That was a really stupid question I promised myself I wouldn’t be one of those people"

"Believeinside?"