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"Good luck on Saturday, Josh," they called as they left

"Thanks"

"You okay?" Jo asked

He nodded

When he’d been a kid, Fool’s Gold had taken him in The toas still there for him, in ways he hadn’t even known about He wanted to say he owed them, but it wasn’t like that They were a family

He wanted to stay here, to be here with Charity He wanted to ain, he promised himself Somehoould make her understand He finally found the one woet away

THE MORNING OF THE RACE dawned bright and hot Charity busied herself in her room until she was supposed to meet Marsha, then made her way downstairs

Mary, the wo froreat news," Charity said, doing her best to sound cheerful "For all of us"

"My little sister wants to be a nurse She’s excited"

"I’ to win"

Charity s to watch the race She would be there at the beginning, because she was part of city government and she would be expected But then she would leave What was the point in staying?

Josh said he needed to win She believed that If he lost, he would keep trying If he won, he would be sucked back into that world She was just a regular person--how could she compete with the iet to Marsha’s house before anyone else spoke to her Nearly everyone in toas heading to line up along the race route Thousands of visitors crowded the streets, so she didn’t have to do roups

"Quite the crowd," Marsha said when Charity arrived "Every hotel rooood weekend"

"I’randed to ether But instead of getting her purse and pulling out keys, Marsha headed for the sofa Charity saw several photo albums lined up on the coffee table

"What are those?" she asked, pointing

Marsha put her arm around Charity’s waist "Just some old pictures Don’t worry This will only take a second"

Charity settled on the sofa "Are they of mylooking at Sandra

"Not exactly" Marsha sat next to her and flipped open the first albu boy on crutches

Charity recognized Josh right away He’d grown up, but his s Would their son or daughter have that smile?

"I remember the first time I saw him walk across the street," Marsha said "He moved so slowly I could tell that every step hurt him, but he never complained He couldn’t remember much about the fall and hismore pictures of Josh In some he ith another boy, in a few, he was alone

He was so physically perfect now that it was difficult to reconcile the adult with the child

"He’s co

Hoas Josh feeling in the hours before the race started? Tense? Confident? He’d worked the program and conquered his fears Despite the fact that it wouldhe would win It hat he wanted, and she loved him

"His mother rented a roos and rooms by the hour It’s since been torn down" Marsha flipped another page "He never brought a lunch to school or had any money to buy one The principal told me hoould sit in a corner of the cafeteria, carefully not looking at any of the other students He htened "She didn’t feed hiet a hot ht and friendly He enjoyed school, all the kids liked him I made an appointment to talk to his mother I told her I wanted to help But when I showed up at thelot He said she’d gone out to the store, but she would be back He’d already been waiting for three days"

Charity felt her eyes start to burn This tiainst the tears, mostly because ten-year-old Josh deserved theed "I can’t begin to understand her You knohat happened after that The town took hi a bike as part of his physical therapy" She closed the albuotten what happened How his mother simply left him He believes it’s because he wasn’t whole"

Broken, Charity thought He described himself as broken Less than As if anyone who really knew hi in any way But he wouldn’t believe that And proving hi worthy

She stood and clutched her hands to her chest "Oh no He really does have to ride in the race, doesn’t he? It’s not about winning, although that would be nice It’s about healing"

"Not being broken," Marsha agreed

Charity brushed the lingering tears from her face "I told him I wouldn’t be with him if he rode I told him…" She covered her face "Why was I so stupid?"

"A question people in love have been asking the Charity laughed She lowered her ar to help?"

"Do you feel better?"

"I don’t know Is it too late?"

"Do you really think an arguh to make Josh fall out of love with you?"

"No, but I made hi anywhere afterwards Why couldn’t I see that?"

"Maybe you haven’t had anyone to believe in before"

She hadn’t, Charity realized Until now "I believe in you," she told her grandmother "And I love you"

Marsha smiled "I love you, too Now I think we have a race we need to get to"

Charity nodded They both hurried out of the house There were throngs of people even on this quiet residential street Marsha led the eaving through the crowds and slipping easily through clean, tidy alleys

"Don’t worry," her grandmother told her "We have plenty of time They can’t start the race without me"

When they ca aenthusiasts

Marsha turned and pointed "The bike race starts over there Put on your official ID and you can get right to the starting line" She checked her watch "You have five minutes before I s"

Charity hugged her "Thank you so ht me, child Now hurry"

Charity pushed her way past fas, excusing herself when she buht and hot How did anyone ride a bike in weather like this?

She pushed and wiggled and darted her way through to the beginning of the race Here the croere even thicker and there were barricades in place to keep everyone back Probably so the line didn’t get covered with enthusiastic viewers