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“Yes What about it?” The wouarded

“Is Jesse okay?” Julia’s pulse seeht—is he all right?”

“Who are you?” Rachel asked “Not to sound rude, but it’s a small town and I know just—”

“I’m Julia Mitch Adao ith surprised speculation before her reserve fell off her like old skin

“Oh, no,” she sighed, “I’m—I’m so sorry Mitch—”

“It’s okay” Julialukewarm that she intended to curtail any syht have and feel compelled to share

“I’ into her other arht and welcohter the other day”

“Your daughter?” Julia hadn’t ed on her hand, i her that a few kids would co far too much time with adults

“Amanda She said she met you on the street in front of Jesse’s”

“Ahter?” The woh to have a sixteen-year-old daughter

“Yep Well, by e It’s a bit of a story”

Julia laughed “Isn’t everything?” Rachel laughed, too, and Julia felt that sudden pull of kinship

Wow, I really need a friend She felt like the new kid at school again, sitting down at a table in the lunchrooirls she’d die to talk to

I’m too old to be this pathetic

A car honked and Julia realized they were standing in the middle of the laneway

“Maed her toward the curb