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“Grief will do that to a person ”

“Yeah,” Meredith said, thinking of the tears that were always on her cheeks when she woke Yesterday she’d been so exhausted she’d added orange juice to her coffee instead of soy milk She’d drunk half the cup before she even noticed “It will ”

If Meredith had been burning the candle at both ends then, by the end of January, there was nothing left but the flary Tiain, he told her to hire someone to help take care of her mother, or to let him help her, or—worst of all—to make time for them But hoas she supposed to accoet Mom a housekeeper, but that had been a disaster The poor wo notice, saying that she couldn’t stand the way Mos

So, with Nina gone off God knehere and Moer and colder every day, Meredith had no choice but to pick up the slack She’d made a promise to her father to care for Mo everything that needed to be done As long as she was rief

Her routine had become her salvation

Everyshe woke early, ran four miles, made her husband and her ht o’clock, she was at her desk, working At noon, she returned to Belye Nochi to check on Mo Then it was back to work until six, grocery shopping on her way hoht, and—if Moht-thirty for whatever dinner she and Jeff could throw together Without fail, she fell asleep on the sofa by nine and woke up at three in the ood part about this crazy routine was that she could call Maddy early because of the tihters’ voices could get her through the day

Noas barely noon and she was already exhausted as she hit the interco hoet the shed reports to Hector and rerapes?”

The door to her office opened “I’ the door behind her

Meredith was touched “Thank you, Daisy, but I’m fine ”

“You’re working too hard He wouldn’t like it ”

“I know, Daisy Thanks ”

Meredith watched Daisy leave the office, then gathered up her purse and keys

Outside, snoas falling again The parking lot was a slushy, muddy mess, as were the roads

She drove slowly out to her mom’s house, parked, and went inside At the entryway, she took off her coat and hung it up, calling out, “Mom, I’m here ”

There was no answer