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Tears welled as I flipped through the others I kept all of the them in my backpack In Missoula they serve as perotten memories Mission accomplished, I curled up under Shannie's blankets and drifted into a restful sleep

As the world made last minute preparations for Y2K and Diane and , I slipped away to visit Shannie It was her birthday and I had a special gift for her A light snow fell as I h Laurel Hill I al atop her headstone, doodling in her sketchpad

At her headstone, I closed ht end and when I awoke, Shannie would be lying inlike another tree in the breeze

There was no waking frole snowflake told me so as it slid down the front of her headstone and crashed to the ground Countless others rested atop her headstone I watched the flakes accu, I ran a hand over the s away heaven's frozen tears

A breeze rustled the trees; their bare li to the sound of her voice I turned quickly, praying she would be sitting on the sandstone bench, like she was thirteen years ago - Indian Style, her wildacross the dozing river, past the distant rushing traffic, into eternity Only snow, dusted atop the bench ," I whispered "I have a surprise It's your favorite" Careful not to spill a drop, I poured the stearound in front of her stone "How did you guess?" I watched the snow evaporate "Yes, you're right Of course I reet? " I tell her

"If eyes are the gateway to the soul," she wrote after atekeepers Out of- warmth, out of warmth - love, out of love"

"Us" I whispered to the wind "Beyond anyone - I reranite's face "It's your recipe," I confided as I placed a mud pie atop the coffee soaked soil I retreated to the bench and sat castingtraffic, listening for the echoes of her laughter in the wind