Page 20 (1/2)

I didn’t respond I let go of her ar her made my heart thump harder

"You’ve always been a spiritual person, Anna, but I wonder how much you actually see--how much you believe"

"You mean God? I believe--"

"I know But what about other spirits?" she asked

"Like ghosts?"

"No I led

"Sure," I said slowly "I know scripture talks about angels up there--singing and tru down here to earth And demons, too"

"O-kay I know that stuff happened back in the day, or whatever, but what does it have to do with us?"

"You knoas oing Patti stood up and paced the floor as she talked "For three years we tried to conceive He eventually went to the doctor and found out he wasn’t the proble of the end for us I prayed my body would be fixed and we’d be blessed with a baby, but ht I had this dream Actually, I told my husband it was a dream, but I kneas real"

She stood still and stared atshe’d just say it, whatever it was

"An angel ca for eles"

A prickle went upher hand onme there, as if I would run fro and told my husband about it, but he said I’d lost et to you no ed hiot hoone He remarried a year later But I had you and that was all that mattered to me Do you believe me so far?"

"Yes, of course" But even so, ainst the irrational ideas I took her hands into calm her

"Before they let e talked to me Her name was Sister Ruth She was the oldest person I’d ever met, at least a hundred years old at that point She told ht woman to raise you"

"What was that supposed toyou would require extra care, because you’re more than human, Anna"

I’d always knoas different, so why did it sound like complete madness?

"Then what aels"