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“Hi,” he said, putting his sticky hand in Rachel’s “I’ers

“He’s adorable” Rachel stood up “You need a ride or…?”

“We’re okay,” Julia said

“Here,” Rachel said digging through her handbag She pulled her receipt fro “There’s my home phone” She scribbled and handed the paper over with a smile that was somehow both fa at the Adamses—”

“You do?” Julia asked She’d never said anything about that

“It’s a small town, Julia Word travels fast But if you ever need a change of scenery for dinner or sorew up here, but… Well, it would be great to have another woman to talk to besides Rita”

“I…” Julia was literally speechless She cupped the paper in her hand and pressed it into the breast pocket of her T-shirt “Thanks Really I will Call, I mean”

“Well, it was very good to meet you, Julia”

“Likewise”

They sladness, she felt young

“Call me” Rachel pointed at her and looked serious

“I will,” Julia assured her, patting her pocket “Trust hts of Mitch worship she’d been going through at the Adaht, after her phone call with her h school football scrapbook

She’d been nailed to that couch by Agnes’s painful grief, and her even ood memory of her son alive

Julia had decided that it couldn’t hurt to let the woh those illusions night after night was another thing entirely

Rachel climbed into her car and drove off with a honk and a wave Julia put her son in the stroller, took her courage in hand and headed for Jesse’s house