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Her dress is experi she’s ever intended to wear out She hasn’t yet brushed her hair today It’s the weekend She was planning to stay in and study How dare he show up

There’s a teashop where the scones and the sandwiches are particularly foul She takes him there, and they sit down Order

"I should have let you knoas co," Daniel says

"Yes," Miranda says "Then I could have told you not to"

He tries to take her hand "Mirandy," he says "I think about you all the time About us I think about us"

"Don’t," she says "Stop!"

"I can’t," he says "I like you Very much Don’t you likeon a baby mouse A baby mouse who happens to be your friend It doesn’t help that Miranda kno unfair she’s being She shouldn’t be angry that he’s come here He doesn’t kno she feels about this place Just a few one from here forever It will never have existed

They are both practically on the verge of tears by the time the scones come Daniel takes one bite and then spits it out onto the plate

"It’s not that bad," she snaps Dares him to complain

"Yes it is," he says "It really truly is that bad" He takes a sip of his tea "And the one off, too"

He seems so astonished at this that she can’t help it She bursts out laughing This astonishes hi any ducks at the frozen pond, going in and out of horror movies, action movies, cartoons--all the movies except the romantic comedies, because why rub salt in the wound?--at the cineine that it is snowing outside, that it is Fenny sitting in the flickering darkness here beside her Iainst the rules

Miranda finishes out the term Packs up what she wants to take with her, boxes up the rest Sells her sewing machine Leaves a note for her aunt Never rateful Her aunt has kept her fed, kept her clothed, given her bed and board Never hit her Never, really, been unkind But Miranda is so very, very tired of being grateful to people

She is sticky, sht arrives in Phuket Stays the night in a hostel and then sets off She’s read about how this is supposed to go What you can bring, how long you can stay, how you should behave All the rules

But, in the end, she doesn’t see Joannie It isn’t allowed It isn’t clear why Is her mother there? They tell her yes Is she still alive? Yes Can Miranda see her? No Not possible today Come back

Miranda comes back three times Each time she is sent away The consul can’t help On her second visit, she speaks to a young woman named Dinda, who comes and spends time with the prisoners when they are in the infirmary Dinda says that she’s sat with Joannie two or three times That Miranda’s mother never says much It’s been over six months since her mother wrote to either Elspeth or to Miranda