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"So you’ll let hiirl said "And live with us?"

Mary blinked "I’m sorry--what?" She shook her head "I’m sorry?"

Bitty looked at her uncle "I want him to come live with the three of us And he said he would He doesn’t need to be adopted like you guys are doing withfamily, and Father always says thehouse There is room Ruhn can help, you know That’s his job"

Mary shook her head again Opened and closed her e leaned forward "I’?"

Ruhn cleared his throat "I don’t have anything to keep me in South Carolina Bitty’s my only family and I could use a fresh start--I don’t have to live with you all--"

"Yes, you do" Bitty looked at hi house And we have a cat and a dog You like cats and dogs You will come and live with us, and ?"

Mary couldn’t answer Not with the tears strea in her throat and her whole body feeling like it was going to explode

Putting her head in her hands, she was so overcome, all she could do was sit there and cry

Bitty’s voice was close to her when the little girl spoke next "You’ll like him, Mom I prohter in tight There were no words, no words, no words at all

Wait No, there were: "I know I’ht was that this was the dream He was finally in a drea out a fantasy world where everything worked out okay Yup Any second, the alaro off and they’d be back in hell

Except … no electronic dinging

Rhage put a hand out, aware that Bitty and Mary were hugging and talking and Mary was crying