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"Will you be all right?" He asked softly

I nodded ain," I said sincerely, then turned and walked quickly up the walk and slid my soaked shoes off under the covered porch He still stood in the rain, holding the horse steady, watching ently closed the door

I stood in the bathroom and pulled the sweatshirt over my head so it covered my face; I breathed in the sh I was cold and shivering and the heat rose deliciously out of the tub I was filling ater I couldn’t find it in myself to be embarrassed by my actions towards Samuel Samuel! I one by! Again I considered h I kneould be ain, for now the sweetness of the contact reret

I had enjoyed effusive affection froone Afterwards, any syed my efforts to control my despair, so I had effectively shunned both fro tihtest touch If you push people away for long enough isolation become a terrible habit People start to believe you prefer it

I felt suddenly ravenous for a gentle touch Just like physical starvation, the hunger for contact was all consuave us smooth, sensitive skin that craves the warmth of other skin Our arms seek to hold Our hands yearn to touch We are drawn to companionship and affection out of an innate need

I pulled off the sweatshirt with a jerk, shaking s I finished undressing and slid down into the tub until the very hot water covered hts Then I willeddormant neediness to retreat before I made a complete fool of myself

I turned twenty-three on a Sunday that year The faathered for birthday parties-which was nice, but ays gathered at home, dad’s home, which also happened to , as usual I was actually hoping that I could take a little walk up to the ceraves Maybe I could spend a little tiainst Mo Maybe I wouldbetter than chocolate cake, coldthere wouldn’t be any quiet, not untile I was always glad to see thelad to kiss their kids and cook for the Sa about Beethoven I hadn’t expelled an in church, buthad becouarded my emotions very carefully, and the music just oozed its way aroundthat would lift ht I arian Rhapsody with my chocolate cake

I went to church that un to do more often as of late I hadn’t asked him why; I’d just enjoyed the fact that he would come and be with ht side he was completely recovered froht blue dress shirt and navy slacks His hair had gone white, as I am sure my hair would one day do His skin was very brown fro, and I wondered why souess there weren’t too many to choose froht my dad walked on water and had hot coffee in his hand before he could say "Please" whenever he found time to sit a while and ‘shoot the bull’ with the old boys that gathered there everyinto my hand, and my dad shot me a look under his furry white brows

I had chosen to play the hymn ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ fro number I loved the 23rd Psalm The words spoke of such simple faith and beauty; it was a prayer I had often uttered when I found ation sang along with very little feelinghard pews, hungry bellies, and ier to be free of their Sunday clothes, , the prayer was given, and I stood froan, only to see Nettie and Don Yates a fes back My heart stuttered andstarched and pressed in a white shirt, dark slacks, and a red tie I wondered what he looked like in his ‘dress blues’ I hadn’t seen him since I had literally run into hi, washed and folded, on top of the dryer I had been trying to work up the nerve to walk down to Don and Nettie’s and give it back to hi his hand to Don who hadn’t been to church, except for Christ in town had so to do with their attendance It seemed unlikely, but I couldn’t come up with another possibility to explain his presence at church today Sa flickered across his handso

Another weakness of raduated from beauty school She’d purchased the Aunt Louise would have a good laugh at the red, four-inch heels Louise had laughed all right, and then told Tara to take them back I can’t explain why I couldn’t let Tara return them, but I had wanted them I had the same size feet as Louise, and the shoes made me feel happy when I looked at them For me, happy had been kind of hard to come by I’d offered to buy them from her, but she’d seen the look on ift