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Dora was exhausted frouments for her to take Cal up on his offer to stay with hie deal and she’d made up her mind At the end of her hospital stay she felt physically and eood-byes with both of them had been cool

The car turned off Middle Street onto the curved back island road and all went quiet Lucille slowed as she guided the wheels off the pavee oaks and pal the houses fro excitee "Sea Breeze," Dora murmured

She opened the car door and stepped out into the sultry air The shade of the ancient oak was a welcome shield from the harshopen at the sound of slaet you inside," Lucille said, rounding the car "I’ll get Harper to collect your suitcase later You shouldn’t be lugging anything heavy up the stairs, leastwise not yet Co her forward

Dora followed Mamaw’s slow pace up the stairs She felt tired but not ill Under normal circumstances Dora would have hurried up the stairs without a second thought But the attack had made her nervous about her heart, despite all the doctor’s reassurances

Inside the house, all was quiet

Mamaw set her pocketbook on the front hall table and called out in a cheery voice, "Harper!"

There was no answer

Dora immediately felt her heart quicken orry "Nate?" she called out, walking into the living room

No answer

Dora felt a surge of energy and rushed through the living roo of the house The door to the library, where Nate slept, was closed Without knocking, Dora pushed open the door, eyes searching for hied on the floor in front of the video gaer than the boy; she looked like a kid as they both leaned slightly forward, their gazes focused on the screen and fingers flying over the rerunt or the other would shout out "Oh, no!" It took avideo gaood time

Mamaw and Lucille had followed Dora and joined her at the library door The noise theyDora, her large blue eyes sparked to life and her face opened up in delighted surprise She lowered the remote and exclaimed, "Dora, you’re back!"

"Yes, just," Dora replied, still a little bewildered at the sight of the two of theether

"Look at you!" Harper said "You don’t look bad at all And here I thought you’d be hobbling around like an old crone"