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“Good luck, Nina I mean that ”

“Thanks,” she said, and hung up

She looked around the dark, dingy roo her spine, and she was tired of all of it Exhausted It was hardly surprising that her latest photos were crap She was too tired to concentrate, and when she did finally fall asleep, dreams of her father invariably wakened her

His last words nagged at her lately, the promise he’d elicited Maybe that was her problem Maybe that hy she couldn’t concentrate

She’d failed to keep that promise

No wonder she’d lost her mojo

It was back in Belye Nochi, in the hands of a woet to know

In the first week of May—only a few days earlier than she’d planned—at just past seven in the ed Cascade Mountain Range was still covered in snow but everything else was dressed for spring

At Belye Nochi, the orchard was in full blooht flowers As she drove toward the house, she i proudly between the roith a s questions Are they ready yet, Daddy? I’ry

They’re ready when they’re ready, Neener Beaner Sometimes you have to be patient

She’dthe way that she wasn’t patient, and that far didn’t interest her; that her father’s life’s ould never be hers

In the driveway, she pulled up in front of the garage and parked

The orchard was alive orkers who s or rot or whatever it was they looked for

Nina slung her ca over her shoulder and headed for the house The yard was a vibrant green so bright it was al the fence line and on either side of the hite flowers grew in clumps

At the house, she didn’t bother knocking “Mo off her boots