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"Morning," he said, pointing to the eat-at bar and two place settings

"Thanks, Donald," I said as I slid up onto the seat, feeling both welcome and aard My mom was out of the room, and I leaned in across the bar "Hey, try to keep her froit into a cough as he took the chair beside me The waffles steamed, but he reached for the coffee instead Takata s teeth and wide lips almost a shock as I saw ets"

I sighed, uitar sitting next to the door "Enthusiastic," I ertip out of his mouth, smiled, and poured a dollop of syrup into his coffee Must be the real stuff

"You get your drive from her," Takata said, and I ave ood on you"

"Thanks," I said dryly, not sure if it was enthusias I usually didn’t put syrup onhi to shove h into pieces

Takata hustled to take Mo, and from the corner ofon the TV The banner, KALAMACK PIE SLICING UP SOUR, ran below it before it went to commercial It was official, then We were dead

I took a bite of waffle, leaning forward as the syrup dripped If this was dead, then sign ot out of bed, sweetheart!" e pants and striped shirt a disparaging look A pang went throughus that our rown-up stuff: her hair was brushed into a professional topknot, her heels clicked smartly on the tile, there was a blush of heavier ant Her expression was eager and her ood-bye that she’d sry

"What are your plans for today?" my monoring it like always "Use the house as if it’s yours," she said before I could even frame an answer "There’s a boat at the club, and the sweetest row of shops in town"

"Ah, I need to do soave ers a supportive squeeze under the bar

"Mmmm" My mom paused, then strode forward to take a key froot a studio upstairs It’s nice and sunny up there Help yourself"

I took the s it looked like it would open a file cabinet, not a door "You keep it locked?" I asked hesitantly, reood, and I’d been told on more than one occasion that if it hadn’t been for Robbie and me, she could have been one of Ohio’s premier spell spinners, the elite feho have the knack of creating new spells byones

"Just the expensive stuff" My mo so a little more subdued but still clearly "retired rock star" with metallic socks and red shoes "Thank you, dear," she said as she adjusted his wide collar, then turned toto take care of it"

"Sure" I tucked the key in the robe’s pocket, exchanging a questioning look with Trent before I spun on the stool to watch her getting ready to leave My plate was onon soain fro the world"

I had meant it to be sarcastic, but my mom nodded, totally serious A car had pulled up outside, and Takata headed for the bags "Use what you need," my mom said as she checked inside her purse "That wooodness in her life If you can’t find what you want, I’ve got an account in town at Jack’s I" She looked up, breathless and alive, and I set

"You’re the best, Moirl again, watching her leave for a job interview or rare overnight trip "Thank you"

She blinked fast, eyes bright as she pulled away "Just looking after o! See you later, sweetheart Enjoy! Don’t show up until after the funeral, okay? Oh, and I’ll tell Robbie Don’t worry about it He’s going to be pissed" She hesitated "That you played dead, not that you’re really alive"

Good to have that clarified I glanced at Takata He was laughing "Okay I’ll try"

Trent stued sideways over to Takata I’d hugged him only a couple of times, and he still felt tall and aard toa touch of sadness for opportunities lost even as he stood in ood"

"So are you," I said,else"

Head down, he s to co back to mine with a ariness "Too many people depend on you to stand between the, and I nodded even as Trent reached between us and shook his hand The two of theed words that really didn’tbehind them It eird and sort of uncomfortable as Trent and I stood in white robes and with sticky fingers in an extravagant house that wasn’t ours and watchedcurves until it was lost behind skinny evergreens and boulders the size of my car The silence of the house soaked in, and I heard the wash of the water for the first time No one kneere here except for Bis, and he was sleeping It felt like Sunday, but no Sunday I’d ever had

"Well?" I said as I turned, startled at the figure Trent cut before me I saw him so rarely with such a thick stubble He had the remote in his hand, and I wasn’t surprised when he pointed it across the huge roo a atehouse The big na with the local, and I frowned Even the Washington Inderland Press

"the continuing investigation into Kala, and I followed Trent back to the sunken living roonized some of Trent’s security people, and I felt bad for their stricken expressions