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And then she was gone
Jake fell apart, burying his face on Susan’s chest and crying hysterically A syhout the roorandfather I stepped around the side of the bed to wrap my arms around him "I’ht he would collapse frorief, Jake jerked his head up He unwrapped et out of here," he muttered before he sprinted out the rooed
I nodded and then hurried after Jake When I got to the porch, I glanced left and right before running to the barn "Jake?" I called Silence echoed aroundaround, I then ran down the hill to the stables I peeked in several stalls until I saw hi down his cheeks, Jake was saddling up a towering black horse Sensing et away from here I need to take a ride"
I stepped back as he led the horse out of the stall "I’ll go with you"
He glanced at ot thrown as a kid," he reminded me
A shiver went over me at the memory from all those years passed, but I shook my head "I’ll ride the my hand He pulled ave ht be a Paul McCartney fan, but it’s all about John Lennon for me"
"I like it"
"Ready?"
"As I’ll ever be"
Tension and unspoken words hung heavy between us I was at a loss for what to say to comfort him He’d just experienced the worse loss of his life, and I was afraid I h to fill the void Maybe there wasn’t anything I could say-- my love and support
Jake brushed the wet strands of hair out of el"
"And I won’t let you either" I wrapped ave hiether, Jake Forever and always"
His warm breath fanned across race and the love of h escapedet her the best there was, it still see a woman andme to her She leaned her head on my shoulder "Are you sure you don’t need a minute alone?"
"No, I want you here" I kissed the crown of her head "I alant you with me"
"And I alant to be here for you"
I smiled down at her "Besides, Mama would want you here She loved you like I do"
Abby’s chin trembled "And I loved her too I alill"
At the sound of crunching leaves behind us, Abby and I turned around A tall, leantoward us His arot alreen eyes scanned our faces "Excuse me, are you part of Susan Moore’s--I mean, Susan Slater’s family"