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I could tell he didn't believe it I didn't either Because the truth hen I looked at Conrad, all I felt was a yearning that never went away It was the sauy who actually likedup on Conrad There, that was the real truth I had never really let go I was just like Rose on that stupid makeshift raft
Ca soon Do you want to keep in touch?"
I hadn't thought about that He was right, the suain "Umdo you?"
"Well, yeah I do"
He looked at ure out what it was for a few seconds Then I said, "Me too I do too" But it came too late Caet going I didn't argue
chapter forty
We finally had our ht My mother, Susannah, Jeremiah, and I watched Susannah's favorite Alfred Hitchcock hts off Mycast-iron pot, and she went out and bought Milk Duds and gummy bears and saltwater taffy Susannah loved saltwater taffy It was classic, like old ti a dinner shift
Halfway through Notorious, her most favorite of all, Susannah fell asleep My mother covered her with a blanket, and when the movie was over, she whispered, "Jeremiah, will you carry her upstairs?"
Jeremiah, nodded quickly, and Susannah didn't even wake up when he lifted her in his arms and carried her up the rec roohtless, a feather I'd never seen hie, in that ot up too, stretching "I' to bed, too, Belly?"
"Not yet I think I'll clean up down here first," I said
"Good girl," she said, winking atup the taffy wrappers and a few kernels that had fallen onto the carpet
Jere the movie into its case He sank into the couch cushions "Let's not go to sleep yet," he said, looking up at me
"Okay Do you wanna watch another movie?"
"Nah Let's just watch TV" He picked up the reh channels rando back down, I sighed a little "I don't know He hasn't called, and I haven't called hiain"
He didn't look at ain?"
"I don't knowI'm not sure Maybe Maybe not"
Jeremiah put the TV on mute He turned and looked at uy for you" His eyes looked sohtly I said, "Yeah, I doubt it too"
"Belly," he began He took a deep breath of air and puffed up his cheeks, and then he blew it out so hard the hair on his forehead fluttered I could feelto happen He was going to say soe everything
I openedhe couldn't take back, and he shook his head "Just let et this out"
He took another deep breath "You've always been my best friend But now it'scloser to irl I've ever met, and you're there for me You've always been there for me II can count on you And you can count on me too You know that"