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Matteo laughs "You wenttheir hair out"

Missing isn’t the word for it, though You don’t go et teh the crowds of the Vatican, until she found herself standing in the elo’sAnd there in the center was the divine link between heaven and earth So close was Ada to touch each other, but the i the heavens

She stood there, looking up, forgetting that she was supposed to be hiding, for who could hide in a place that was all about revealed mystery? And that’s exactly where her fareatest work of art ever created by the hand of randest attempt to touch perfection

She was only six, but even then, the ih she had no idea what they said All she kneas that she herself was just like this beautiful place, and if solorious frescoes painted on the walls of her soul

The van arrives ten htly painted logo on the van’s side that reads wood hollow harvest caoes to her rooet her suitcase--a s whites and soain for her forgiveness This ti uilty, that’s not my problem," she tells theh respect for me to be at peace with it too"

It doesn’t help matters It just makes their tears flow in a steadier stream

"The only reason you’re at peace with it," her father tells her, "is because we made you feel that way It’s our fault It’s all our fault"

Miracolina looks at theests "Break your pact with God and don’t tithetheift, a reprieve from hell Even Matteo is hopeful

"Yes, that’s e’ll do!" her ned the final papers yet We can still change our minds!"

"Fine," says Miracolina "Are you sure that’s what you want?"

"Yes," says her father with intense relief "Yes, we’re sure"

"Positive?"

"Yes"

"Good, now you can be guilt free" Miracolina picks up her suitcase "But regardless of what you choose, I’s herback--without even saying good-bye, because good-byes i else in this life, Miracolina Roselli wants to believe that her tithing is a beginning

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"When Billy’s behavior becaan to fear for our own safety, we did the only hu We sent him to harvest camp, so he could find fulfille restriction preventing seventeen-year-olds fro unwound, ouldn’t have had that choice Just last week a seventeen-year-old girl in our neighborhood got drunk, crashed her car, and killed two innocent people Would it still have happened if her parents could have chosen to send her to harvest camp? You tell me"

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It’s a three-hour drive to Wood Hollow Harvest Camp The van is all plush leather seats and pop h expensive speakers The driver is a h of a gut to be jolly Santa Claus in training

"Excited for your big day?" Chauffeur-Claus asks as they drive away fro party?"

"Yes, and no," she says "I’m excited, but no party"

"Athat’s too bad Why not?"

"Because tithing shouldn’t be about me"

"Oh," is all Chauffeur-Claus can say to that Miracolina’s response is the perfect conversation killer, which is fine The last thing she wants is to recap her life for this man, no matter how jolly he is

"There are drinks in the cooler," he tells her "Help yourself" And then he leaves her alone

Twentyonto the interstate, they enter a gated community

"One more pickup this afternoon," Chauffeur-Claus tells her "Tuesdays are lean, so it’s just this stop Hope you don’t mind"

"Not at all"

They stop at a house that’s at least three tier than her ohere a boy in white waits out front with his faood-byes She looks out of the other , giving them their privacy Finally Chauffeur-Claus opens the door, and in coht blue eyes, and skin as pale as bone china--as if he had been kept out of the sun all his life to keep his skin pure as a baby’s botto

"Hi," he says shyly His tithing whites are shiny satin and triold brocade This boy’s parents spared no expense Miracolina’s tithing whites, on the other hand, are simple raw silk, unbleached so their whiteness won’t be so blinding that it draws attention to itself Compared to hers, this boy’s whites are like a neon advertisement