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“But I love you, Mama ”

And there is ainst the pain that will coain

One step at a time, until a lorry materializes in front of me

Abeside the door, sarette The smell of it makes me think of my mother

“A ride across the ice?” I say, hearing how cracked and weak my voice is

The aunt This means he is Somebody, or in the Party at least, and I feel my hope plummet

He leans forward, looks at Leo “Dead?”

I shake

“Please,” I say, desperate now All around ht, here, if we do not find a ride soon I pull out the cloisonné butterfly randfather “Here ”

“No, Ma for it

The ood is a trinket?”

I pull off old Please”

He looks arette and then drops it to the snow “All right, Baba,” he says, pocketing randchildren ”

I arateful, I don’t even realize what he has said to me until later, e are all packed into the cab of his truck

Baba