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Sunshine arrivedyour new digs?"

Beth smiled "I’ve already been up and walked the hallice"

"Great No PT today?"

"Later It’s a lighter load on the weekends"

"Cool" Her aunt scooted the chair closer to the bed "Have you heard frohed "Yes, briefly The conversation went okay She arrives on Monday" Despite Sa ould happen when her mother met him Already she could hear hera confrontation was sure to follow, she refused to hide their relationship, refused toherto influence the way Beth felt about his for her were equally strong and that he not be influenced by her ently squeezing her arht?" she pleaded

Her aunt’s silence was answer enough "I proive the two of you alone tihter "Sunshine No, please, you can’t do this to er than you realize How long is yourto stay?"

"Two days"

Her aunt looked relieved "That’s no tio by so fast you’ll hardly know Ellie was in town"

"You’re joking, right? Mysure the entire facility knows she’s arrived She’llthe Alps" Beth could envision it now Her e scene worthy of an Acade any part of that

"I have a feeling you’re more worried about ill happen with Sa your aze softened "You like Sam, don’t you?"

It would be useless to lie "Yes … so ether He says he plays the guitar for his own pleasure, but you knohat? He’s talented I could have played with hiht, but I didn’t have the stareat Don’t you worry, Sweet Pea, I uess is he won’t be scared off by yourover"

"But he has no idea what she’s like," Beth argued "We’ve only known each other a short while and--"

Her aunt stopped her "Trustto worry about," Sunshine insisted "You’ve completely unbalanced that poor man He’s nuts over you"

Beth wasn’t convinced "I hope you’re right"

"I ah; she couldn’t help herself She stewed and fretted and ative scenario of what could happen once her mother met Sam And then Ellie Prudhomme arrived Predictably, once she saw the extent of Beth’s injuries, she burst into tears loud enough to echo through the entire facility "Oh Beth," she wailed "I had no idea"

By now the majority of Beth’s bruises had yellowed and the cuts on her face hadat Beth’s bedside, Ellie dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, all the while de to knohy Beth hadn’t let her kno serious the accident was

"Mom, please," Beth cried "You want to knohy? This is why" She gestured toward hera scene It isn’t like I’ just fine"

"You could have died"

"But I didn’t"

"I should never have agreed to let you move away" Her inning that it was a ht But your father wouldn’t listen to me and now look what’s happened I absolutely insist that you return hoe her mother off This was exactly what she’d feared ive in to herPortland"