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Being in here with her brought it all back, those things he thought he’d forgotten The rare good islands in the sea of rot that’d been his childhood

And now hot memories of Julia were thrown into theof her Pressed against him, her breast in his palm

He shut his eyes

“Mac and I are having a baby”

His eyes flew back open Sonited in his head “What?”

“We’re having a baby” Rachel sems “In December”

Jesse was speechless Surprised, actually, that he felt so about this That he could be moved by this news

“Mac is at the lu out wood We’d like you to make a cradle”

“I don’t do that anymore,” he said

“Well, I know you probably didn’t have time in the army, but maybe while you’re here If you stay…we’d like you to stay”

The words weren’t out of Rachel’sinto the room as if she were on fire He didn’t have a chance to say no, to even shake off the sickening desire he had to do just what his sister wanted

Sohosts of his sweet childhood sister and the hot available Julia circling him

Quicksand

I aht

“Whoa, Mouess who I just saw—” A on the old linoleu him and Rachel

“I just told your uncle about the good news” Rachel wiped at the tears under her eyes and Jesse held the tissues to his nose

“Isn’t it great!” Amanda cried “I swear to God, I’m like the only person in the world without a little brother or sister Iyou as a little brother was the coolest thing in the world That she and Dad used to go ca with you all the time and that you followed them around wherever they went” She shook her head “I cannot wait!”