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"It reminds me ofthem" She smiles ruefully "’Course I always co to do that, but I do Being around little kidsthey’re so innocent You can forget everything else, you knowall the bad stuff, when you’re around thes I miss Family Friends So why is Caden the only face I can see? The thing I miss the most?

Why is he the one person who blocks out all the bad stuff forits bare walls as though ISabine in the face "So What else do you do here? When you’re not helping with the school?"

"Oh Sometimes we ride out in one of the cars Sean works on" She stops to giggle "Last week, the car died We had to walk five as! Sean was so eain, rocking back on the bed a little "He hasn’t quite lived that one down yet"

She’s happy I see that And Sean’s part of that happiness Does that mean he’s happy, too? I hope so Desperately I need him to be I need his happiness to not be wrapped up in ross" I pluck at my shirt "I think I’d like to take a shower"

"No probleht still in her eyes "You have soe of clothes froain Not as big as the one I once owned, but so beyond a couple of shirts and pants

She leads ht, still accliotten used to life in the coh the vents The low drone of voices Out here it’s just openness

And no Caden I’et used to that

It’s time for this country to heal its wounds, and the re-enfranchisement of carriers into the population is the first step in that process That said, I’ve assigned a special committee to oversee the formation of protected areas for carriers should they want to live in coether The choice will be theirs Not only is this their right, but it is my administration’s act of restitution for their recent treatment This nation has lost its way, and our only hope for survival is by reether in a spirit of ca principle of our justice systement should not be passed without evidence of a crime

--Presidential address, July 30, 2021

TWENTY-FIVE

THE NEWS IS SEVERAL DAYS OLD BY THE TIME IT reaches us