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"Did she say yes?" I asked

"Are you fucking kiddingwith you? Jesus she’s the help"

"You need better friends," the bartender said and Stone ignored hiet worked up over other’s opinions

"I’ to find her" I didn’t have to explainht But I was going after her anyway She’d been upset by so Stone had said I knew he did

"Whatever," was Stone’s response

I was al out with food instead of Beulah She paused when she sawMr Van Allan?"

"Where’s Beulah?"

The lady frowned "I sent her to change shoes"

Change shoes? "Why?"

She didn’t look very pleased withto hide it "Because the shoes that have been provided for her unifor to walk around"

Holy hell! That hy she was li? "Where is she?" I asked, walking inside not waiting for a reply

"Her rooh the house to the stairs leading to the roo when I saw her linored it She hadn’t said anything How long had she been wearing shoes that were too s Portia did? I hadaround in cheap tennis shoes that didn’t even fit her This hy I wasn’t good for her I was selfish and self-involved She needed protecting and soood enough He couldn’t take care of her the way she needed He was a fucking bartender Frustrated with hts, I jerked the door open and started down the stairs

"Hello?" Beulah’s voice sounded worried No one ever came down here I assumed

"It’s ht into the roo with the washer and dryer

She was standing with one shoe in her hand and one shoe on her foot Her eyes ith what looked like worry "I was co ht was to explain herself As if she’d done so What kind of monster did she think I was? Had I acted in a way that she expectedhave you been wearing shoes that are too s my attention to her feet

She curled her toes under on her barefoot but I could see the blisters and what looked like bruises My sto her walk around all day, working to get ready for tonight so I could entertain a bunch of my friends while her feet looked like this

"For a while," she said her voice was just above a whisper

"How long?" I repeated