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“Hello?” she called, walking through the front door “Agnes?”

She heard Ben’s squeal fro the floor before he ca room, covered in flour with a dish towel around his neck

Oh, sweetie, she thought, how can this be happening to us? I thought I was doing the right thing

“Hi, Julia” Agnes folloiping her hands on another towel “You’re ho?”

She had the nerve, the gall to look worried, as if she cared

“Yeah, I’d say soed to say in nor to sit Ben doith the TV for a minute—”

“Oh, Julia, do you have to? We were just having—”

“Yes, Agnes,” she snapped “I have to Let’s go, Ben,” she said to her son, whose eyes had gone wide at her tone “Let’s see e can find on TV”

Ben followed her, subdued But thanks to the satellite selection she was able to get Ben settled with Dora and that pesky Swiper and all ell in Ben’s little world

She found Agnes in the kitchen, sweeping e can

“Ben and I were ot pretty—”

“I had a conversation with Virginia and Sue Holnes sed but didn’t pause, didn’t even flinch

“I don’t much care for your tone, Julia”

“Well, that’s too da to me”

“I never lied” She returned the garbage can to under the sink and began to stack boithout once looking at Julia

“They called three times to offer me a job”

“Did they?”

The top of Julia’s head just blew right off She reached out and tugged on Agnes’s elbow, forcing her to at least face Julia

“They left three es with you”