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“Up you go,” she whispered, giving him a boost

He repeated the tone of her voice, if not her exact words

She had a few toys on the table and he played while she rested her chin on his head and looked out theto the street of duplicate houses, covered in Christ on the barracks

Houses filled omen just like her Alone Lonely Worried half the tiroups and sewing circles, coffee klatches and grief-counseling sessions

She went, dragging Ben and bad pasta salad, wearing the mask of a woman still in love with her husband She wore that ht she’d scream

She rested her head against the

“Jesse,” Ben whispered and her heart squeezed tight at the ht hoht It had been a surprise, not just Jesse, but Mitch’s appearance as well She’d had no notice of their leave No chance to prepare herself

Not that she could have

Not for Jesse Filmore

He’d walked into her home, he’d shaken her hand, he’d sone so far as to cohetti and she knew she’d found the very limit to her foolish heart

She’d watched hiht from the corner of her eye, froer

Maybe that’s what I am

Maybe that’s what this feeling is

He was a goodshe’d ever seen As real as the sun behind theHe’d walked into the rooh she’d been beside hiined Mitch to be The kind of man she wanted Mitch to be and it burned her like acid to have him in her house

“Jesse,” Ben said louder and Julia turned finally to shush hi in the doorway to the kitchen A bright and dark angel brought into her life to res she’d never have

His black eyes were a hot touch on her face