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Not anye

The snick of the scissors was oddly satisfying

ON THE FOURTH Thursday of every month, in an effort to earn her heavenly reward, Honor volunteered at Rushing Creek, the assisted living facility at the edge of Manningsport This Thursday, Goggy had coed a little, as one would expect with people in their eighties They were both still strong as oxen, but Goggy seeetful these days, and Honor could swear Pops limped on rainy days Any day now, she worried, one of theht tumble down the steep, narrow staircases of the Old House, which was so of a death trap, full of the twists and turns characteristic of colonials They didn’t use two-thirds of the rooms, and the house would never pass inspection, not with Pops having nailed the front door closed last winter "to help with the drafts"

It was Honor’s hope that they’d willingly hter, smaller place before one of them had an accident

"I’ll kill y pronounced drah the doors A resident in a wheelchair glared before zipping down the hall in speedy Creek was cogy viewed it like a Dickensian asylum

"Let’s try to use our inside voices, okay?" Honor said "I love it here I’ the years before I can move in"

"I’d kill myself Oh, hello, Mildred! How are you?"

"Hello, Elizabeth!" Mildred said "And Honor! You cut your hair! Oh, no! Why, honey, why?"

"Thank you," Honor said Okay, so the haircut was a bit radical But that had been the point And yes, she’d gone to Corning, to a stylish, so place where a professional had stared in horror before shaping up her cropped hair

Noas no longer than the nape of her neck Relieved of its weight, little wisps sprang up here and there, and if it was a shock, Honor told herself she’d like it eventually Dad pretended to after his initial chest-clutching; Mrs Johnson growled; Goggy wept; Pops, Pru and Jack had yet to notice Faith, at least, had see her hands "It’s so chic, Honor! And look at your cheekbones! You’re gorgeous!" Which, of course, she wasn’t, but she appreciated the support

"Sodifferent!" Mildred said "Anyway, dear, congratulations on your sister getting uy"

"I bet they’ll have babies any day"

"I wouldn’t be surprised"

Mildred gave her a conspiratorial look "And you, dear? Anyone special for you?"