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Brenda cooed out a sound of understanding and enfolded , about the picnic, and that we took my little brother to the waterfall to show it to him, how Colton fell in, and then how Oren saved both our lives When I got to the part where Oren told o ofin with him, Noel cursed fluently and buried his face in one hand

Oren’s parents glanced at him "I don’t believe we’ve met yet," Phil finally said

Noel looked up, and then straightened He blew out a breath before holding out his hand "Sorry, sir I’m Noel Gamble I’m the one who called you"

I blinked, startled I hadn’t even thought to contact anyone, let alone Oren’s parents Grateful that et a hold of therief, thankful he was here with h this

Oren’s parents seemed startled by the introduction "Noel Gamble?" Brenda repeated "The Noel Gamble who lived with our son for nearly three years and we never ed "We saw hiames"

"But we still never--"

"He’sthe need to defend hi brother"

"Oh" Brenda shook her head as if confused "Well, that explains how you met Oren, then"

She patted my hands in a motherly fashion, and I smiled uneasily I don’t knohy I felt so unco everything she had to hold herself together It see her so a therapist the last time I’d seen her Or maybe I was so strained because it was all avearound them after his sister died He’d felt responsible and they’d pinned no blame on him It’d probably made him blame himself even more

"So, have we heard any updates at all?" Phil asked

I shook s seemed to ith more worry

Just then, the nurse who’d had me fill out all Oren’s paperwork popped her head into the roo?"

Brenda looked up "Yes?"