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“It’s about ti the only screw-up in this family ”

“I love Jeff,” Meredith said, feeling both miserable and elated

“Of course you do,” Mom said

Meredith turned to them “What if it’s too late?”

Mom smiled, and Meredith was struck by both the beauty and the newness of the face she’d studied for decades “I ahters Every year, I thought it was too late to start, that I’d waited too long But Nina here won’t take no for an answer ”

“Finally Being a selfish bitch pays off ” Nina reached into her ca it open “Call him ”

“Oh We’re having fun It can wait ”

“No,” Mom said sharply “Never wait ”

“What if—”

Mom laid a hand on her forearm “Look at me, Meredith I am what fear makes of a woman Do you want to end up like me?”

Meredith slowly reached out and re into the aqua-blue eyes that had always mesmerized her, Meredith sth What you’ve been through—and we don’t know the worst of it, I think—it would have killed an ordinary woman Only someone extraordinary could have survived So, yeah, I do want to end up like you ”

Mom sed hard

“But I don’t want to be afraid You’re right about that So give ot an overdue call to make ”

“We’ll meet you on the boat,” Nina said

“Where?”