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Johnny carried Kate to her bed and tucked her in "The bathroo has been installed—railings and a shower seat and all the stuff they reco by"

She wasnt sure when she closed her eyes All she kneas that she was sleeping So "Sweet Drea in the distance Then Johnny was kissing her and telling her she was beautiful and talking about the vacations they would someday take

She aith a start The roo daylight hours, obviously Beside her, a eucalyptus-scented candle burned The darkness lulled her for a moment, made her think she was alone

Across the room, a shadow moved Someone breathed

Kate hit the button on her bed and moved to a sit "Hey," she said

"Hey, Mom "

She grew accusto in a chair in the corner Although Marah looked tired, she was so beautiful that Kate felt a cinching in her chest Being ho and everyone with perfect clarity, even in this gray darkness When she looked at her teenage daughter, with her long black hair kept out of her eyes with little girl barrettes, she gliirl she was, the woman shed become

"Hey, baby girl " She smiled and leaned sideways to turn on the bedside lamp "But you arent my baby anymore, are you?"

Marah stood up and rown-up beauty, the fear in her eyes ain

Kate tried to figure out what she should say She kneto be normal, but it simply wasnt Frohted, remembered That was a simple fact of life Or of death

"Ive been mean to you," Marah said

Kate had waited years for this moment, actually dreamed of it in the days when she and Marah had been at war; now she saw it from a distance and knew that those battles were just ordinary life—a girl trying to grow up and a ht, actually; it would mean they had time

"I was a bitch to grand on their mothers And your Aunt Tully was a bitch to everyone "

Marah hter, and pure relief "I wont tell her you said that "

"Believe me, honey, it will co: I personality and spirit It will take you far in this life " On those last words, she saw her daughters eyes fill with tears Kate opened her ar her into a fierce embrace