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I take a cold shower, gasping when the water hitsI own, a linen dress that Dara has always hated, saying itor about to be sacrificed as a virgin

Sergei’s is a ten- not to break a sweat I go around the house and through the backyard, glancing, as always, at the oak tree, half searching for a red flag entwined in its branches, for a secretthe heavy branches, shi sun

I cut into the thicket of trees that divides our property fro out recently There’s a straight path through the grohere branches have been snapped away and the grass trae onto Old Hickory Lane two houses down from Parker’s On a whim, I decide to stop by and see if he’s okay It isn’t like him to flake on work His car is in the driveway, but the house is quiet and I can’t tell if he’s home The curtains in his --navy-blue stripes, selected by Parker at age six--are shut I ring the doorbell--the first time I’ve ever used it, the first time I’ve ever noticed the Parkers have a doorbell--and wait, crossingthat I suddenly feel nervous

Upstairs, I think I see the curtains twitch in Parker’s roo htly Someone’s definitely up there

I cup my hands to my mouth and shout up to him, like I used to do ere little and needed hiame of street stickball or to be our third for double Dutch But this time, the curtains stay still No face appears at theFinally I’ unco ress I turn around once at the corner; again, I could swear the curtains twitch, as if someone has just yanked them shut

Frustrated, I turn away I’ but ooze down the street In less than twentyacross from Dara

She’ll have to talk to me She won’t have a choice

My stomach is knotted practically to my throat

And then, just before I get to Upper Reaches Park, I see her: She’s waiting to board the 22 bus, the one I take to FanLand, standing aside to allow an old wo from the bus shelter bleach her skin practically white and turn her eyes to hollows She’s hugging herself, and froer

I stop in the middle of the road "Dara!" I shout "Dara!"

She looks up, her expression troubled I wave, but I’ in a portion of the street sed by long shadows, and she lance over her shoulder, she slips onto the bus The doors whoosh closed, and then she’s gone