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“I’inning ”

“You thought I would not agree to the trip ”

“Yes,” Nina said “It’s just that I want to get to know you And not only because I promised Dad ”

“You want answers ”

“How can I—how can we,” she said, including Meredith in this, “not want answers? You are part of e are, and we don’t know you Maybe it’s e don’t know ourselves Meredith can’t figure out if she loves her husband or what her own drea for me in Atlanta and all I can think about is Vera ”

Mom leaned back onto the teak chair “It is time, I suppose,” she said quietly “Your father spoke to Professor Adaht we should talk—I should talk It’s probably why he kept the letter all these years ”

“What does the professor want to talk about?” It was Meredith who asked this, and although her voice was quiet, the look in her eyes was intent

“Leningrad,” Mooverns, and I was afraid to talk about it But there is no reason for fear now I ahty-one years old tomorrow Why be afraid?”

“Tomorrow is your birthday?” they said at once

Mo Yes, tomorrow is o see this professor with you, but you two should kno: you will be sorry you began all of this ”

“Why do you say that?” Meredith asked “How could we be sorry to learn who you are?”

It was a long moment before Mom answered Slowly, she turned to Meredith and said, “You will ”

Ketchikan was a town built on sale—called a liquid-sunshine-o-meter—attested to the dampness of the climate

“Look at that,” Meredith said, pointing to a grassy area across the street where aa tote

Nina dared to reach for her o check it out ” She was surprised when Mouide her across the street to the small park