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She nodded and shoved the hair out of her face “Okay ”

For the next hour, she got ready as if this were any ordinary day, but when she cli SUV, she suddenly lost the ability to pretend The truth of her choice swept through her, chilling her

In front of her, Jeff started up his truck, and together they drove in their separate cars to Belye Nochi

Inside, she found Mo at her Holy Corner Dressed in a black woolen sheath, with a white silk scarf around her throat, she ht, her shoulders firm Her snohite hair had been drawn back from her face, and when she turned to look at Meredith, there wasn’t a drop of confusion in those arctic-blue eyes

Meredith’s resolve slipped; doubt surged up in its place

“I want the Holy Corner brought to” She reached over for the crutches Dr Burns had brought her Settling them in place under her arms, she limped slowly toward Meredith and Jeff

“You need help,” Meredith said as she approached “I can’t be here all the time ”

If Mon of it She li is in the kitchen ”

Meredith should have known better than to seek absolution from her mother Hoell she knew that whatever she needed froet it Maybe this most of all She walked past her mother and went into the kitchen

It was the wrong bag Meredith had packed the big red suitcase only last night She bent down and opened this one

Her mother had packed it full of butter and leather belts

Eight

Nina woke to the sound of gunfire

Rounds exploded just outside her ; the dingy, peeling walls of her hotel room shuddered A shower of plaster and wattle rained down on the floor Soot out of bed and crawled over to the

Tanks were rolling down the rubble-strewn street Men in uniforuns, laughing as people tried to find shelter