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"GoodI’m ashamed to say I didn’t cook any breakfast We’re out ofto run to the store this afternoon and get e need But for now you’ll have to make due with cereal or toast I think we have soood with a bowl of cereal It hat I’d lived off of during my two years with Jorie She hadn’t cooked at all But she’d also rarely been holanced up at

I walked over to Aunt Coralee and laid down the note I’d written about talking to the we needed to discuss the fact I was talking again would be too et a chance to tell the to talk about and what I wasn’t

I didn’t want to go to a counselor, therapist, shrink-- whatever you call them I’d been to ten of those None of the back, and they needed to know that

Aunt Coralee read the note then looked up at me with a concerned frown "Sure, sweetheart We can talk now if you like," she said

Brady jerked his head up and looked back at us "Talk about what?" he asked

"Maggie wants to talk to all of us about so at hi back at me "Here, you can use my pen" She handed me her pen

I shook my head Then I pointed to the part in the note that said all three of them

Her frown deepened "Okay Yes Well, let rass"

She patted ivehim in case he was asleep I called instead

He answered on the first ring

She’s Just Like Her Mo outside on the porch shen I pulled up She’d calledout of the shower Somehow I’d made it here in ten minutes My hair had still been wet and I hadn’t been able to find any underwear, but I’dand walked over to the top of the steps "Hey," I said, pressing a kiss to her lips "You ready to do this?"

I could see the anxiety in her eyes when she nodded I slippedher up She’dBrady heardon you and I wanted you in on this conversation But I think I’ve worried them Brady knows, but Aunt Coralee and Uncle Boone look really concerned"

I tilted ht there the whole tiainst s I wanted s I didn’t want to live without

I followed her inside and, sure enough, all three Higgenses were sitting in the living roo Brady was the only one as relaxed and looked bored His parents were on the edges of their seats There was a note pad and a pencil on the table in front of Coralee I wondered if she’d brought that for this discussion

Maggie walked to stand in front of them all, and I squeezed her hand She could do this I’d ain," she said in a soft voice that startled both her aunt and uncle I’d never seen Boone’s eyes get so wide

"I want to be a part of this family I’," she said to thelanced at me Her hand was still tucked inside mine, and I nodded to reassure her "I don’t want to talk aboutthat day I don’t want to talk about him I don’t want to talk to a therapist I do want to talk aboutabout her, and I’ve talked about her with West a lot He listens, but I’d like to share memories with other people who knew her and loved her But the restI can’t I stopped talking to protect myself From me and from everyone else It’s how I survived" She stopped and waited

Coralee stood and tears welled up in her eyes "We won’t ie I proood to hear your voice again," she finally said before covering her ie’s shoulders eased some That hat she’d needed to hear

Boone looked at ot you to talk He needed you, and you knew you could help hi your momma would have done" He moved his attention back to me "She’s just like her , too She’s survived a lot And if this," he said, pointing at the two of us, "is more than friendship now, then you be sure you’re ready to cherish her You hurt her, and I’ll hurt you Don’t care who you are"

He was protecting her Like a father Like her father should be doing I’d always liked Boone Higgens, but he’d just cliie needed The one she’d been given had destroyed her life Now Boone was going to protect it

I nodded "Yes, sir I kno special she is I would never hurt her I swear"