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I glance at et up early and shine the silver for the bridal shower tomorrow afternoon”

“No you don’t,” Aria says “It’sto watch Felicity so I can take care of it first thing in the ”

“Sit,” Melody repeats “Take a load off It’s not so bad now that the sun is setting”

I sigh and fiddle with the van keys “Honestly, I’d rather head hoot a forty minute drive, and I don’t feel like—”

“Sit!” Melody and Aria say at the sa a prickle of suspicion across my skin

“I don’t want to Talk with a capital T,” I warn them

“We don’t care,” Melody says pleasantly “Sit your butt down Now I’ency sister procedures”

Grudgingly, I sink down to the sweet-sed next to ht turn purple and the air begin to flash with sleepy-looking lightning bugs Slowly, twilight transforarden into an eventhe day

I closethem when Melody puts a warm hand on my arm

“This has gone on long enough,” she says gently “We’re worried about you”

“What’s gone on long enough?” I play innocent, though I have a good idea whatabout

Melody is talking about the numbness, broken only by periods of intense sadness and bouts of prolonged crying I do my best to do in private, but can’t always, not when I spend up to twelve hours a day working withabout my inability to care the way I used to, and the way one into mid-summer hibernation

She’s talking aboutthe loss of Mason

“You knohat Ime off the hook for a second But then, I didn’t expect her to “If you miss Mason that much, you should call him”

“I can’t call him” I roll my eyes We’ve had this conversation half a dozen tiive me a break, okay?”

“Then let us help you find so,” Melody says “If you’re deterive yourself one You can’t live like this”

“I’m fine” I want to stand up and story