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She glanced down at her friends note, rereading the words shed alreadylake

She forced herself to look away It didnt do any good in life to pine for what you couldnt have Cloud had certainly taught her that lesson

She put her own letter in an envelope, addressed it, then went downstairs to check on Gran, as already asleep

Alone, Tully watched her favorite Sunday night television programs—All in the Family, Alice, and Kojak—and then closed up the house and went to bed Her last thought as she drifted lazily toward sleep was to wonder what the Mularkeys were doing

The nextshe woke at her usual time, six oclock, and dressed for work Soh at the office, one of the reporters would let her help with the days stories

She hurried down the hall and tapped on the last door Though she hated to wake her grandoodbye "Gran?"

She tapped again and pushed the door open slowly, calling out, "GranI for work "

Cool lavender shadows lay along the sills The samplers that decorated the walls were boxes without forloom

Gran lay in bed Even from here, Tully could see the shape of her, the coil of her white hair, the ruffle of her nightdressand the stillness of her chest

"Gran?"

She randmothers velvet, wrinkled cheek The skin was cold as ice No breath came from her slack lips

Tullys whole world seeth to stand there, staring down at her grandmothers lifeless face

Her tears were slow in for; it was as if each one were h her tear ducts Me her hair for her seventh birthday party, telling her that her h, and then years later adirls prayers, or a groo as Tully swept up the discard pile—again—saying, "Tully, you dont have to have every card, all the tiently

She had no idea how long she stood there, but by the tiht had eased through the sheer curtains, lighting the roohtness Without Gran, it seemed this room should be dark

"Come on, Tully," she said