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Mr Robins pointed out several walled-off areas and named them as we passed: the co room, et cetera He seemed proud of the fact that it mirrored the structure of their inpatient place, coarden in the center So about "familiarity" and "consistency" but I didn’t paydown the seconds until I could see Noah, until I could tell him what happened What I found

What Jude had left

But the adults looked atSo I said the first thing that came to ers since alked in

"They’re in Group," Mr Robins said "You probably didn’t get much of a chance to read over our materials, did you?"

Betweenthe mutilated cat? "No"

"Well, it’s not a probleet you up to speed in no tilanced over his shoulder "You’re a psychologist, Dr Dyer?"

"Yes," she said as we followed hi yawned over us, but the spaces alked through felt tight

"What’s your specialty?"

"I ith couples,ined he already knew--anyone atched the news probably did

Mr Robins finally ushered my parents into an office in the back, which clearly wasn’t his A stack of papers towered precariously on the glass desk

He indicated a bench just outside the door "All right, Mara, you can have a seat out here while I talk sos over with your parents, okay?" He winked

If I hadn’t been freaked out, I would have rolled my eyes at the condescension Maybe I wouldn’t have to deal with hiirl could hope

The door to the office closed with my parents inside then, and I sat on the horribly uncomfortable plank of wood across from it There wasn’tat the ductwork in the exposed ceiling when so soft hit me in the shoulder, then bounced to the floor

I flinched--it was that sort of --but it was just a crumbled piece of paper I opened it to find a crudely drawn picture of an oith a speech bubble that said:

!!!

I whipped around

"Well, schel, if it isn’t Mara Dyer"

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