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She’d gotten pregnant anyway, after only knowing Mitch for three weeks She had been so stupid and silly with lust and love

“I enty-one—”

“So young,” Agnes said, lifting watery brown eyes to Julia

“Mitch didn’t hesitate He wanted to get ave him”

He just never h to do it

Agnes, who had been weeping silently, buckled a little and put a hand on the counter to brace herself

“We wasted so ive anything to have theony that struck a chord in Julia’s own grief “Anything”

“Nana!” Ben yelled “Don’t cry!” Ben hated when Julia cried He got angry and fussy But when all three of them turned to the little boy he looked away, confused and embarrassed Julia wondered if he’d ever had the undivided attention of three people

“You want rin, revealing all of his little teeth

“That’s a yes,” Julia translated needlessly

“Well, sit and drink your coffee,” Agnes said, drying her eyes with a dish towel “I’ll make some more pancakes”

Agnes put a stea of coffee in front of Julia and darted a quick look at Ron It was a cue of some sort and Julia braced herself Not for any particular reason; it was the conditioned response of a woed anywhere

“Julia,” Ron started uncoers on the table briefly and cleared his throat There was a glacial undercurrent in the room suddenly and she was not so sure of her welcome here “What are your, ah, your plans?”

“Plans?” she croaked This was it This was “the good to see you, don’t be a stranger, but could you move on?” speech Her stoht She was a fool for believing in the good things