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"She put her on restriction for life And made her wear clothes from the sale rack at Fred Meyer," Tully answered

Marah shuddered at the thought

"Polyester," Kate added "For an entire summer I was afraid to be near open flames "

"You two are lying toher arms

"Us? Lie? Never," Tully said, taking a sip of her drink

Marah got out of her chair, gave theh, and headed back into the house As soon as the door banged shut, Tully and Kate laughed

"Tell me erent like that," Tully said

"My mom swears I was You were little Miss Perfect around her Until you got us arrested, that is "

"The first chink in the armor "

Laughing, Kate sat down in the Adirondack chair beside her, wrapping herself in one of her hans

Tully hadnt realized how tense shed been, how tight her neck and shoulders had becoan to relax As always, Kate was her safety net, her security blanket With her best friend beside her, she could finally trust herself She leaned back in her chair and stared up at the night sky Shed never been one of those people who felt insignificant beneath the heavens, but suddenly she understood why some people did; it was a matter of perspective Shed spent so much of her life in a rush for the finish line that shed been left out of breath If shed paid a little oal line, she le wo for the tattered remnant of a family

"So, are you going to make me ask?" Kate finally said

There was no point in hiding the truth, although she had an aled to ABBA, "Knowing Me, Knowing You " "I saw Chad," she said quietly

"A few ht? In Central Park?"

"Yeah "