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She also knew that each gift would be wrong: too young, too old, too late, too soon It was just the way it was between her and her ht

Not like the old days, back when “You and Me Against the World,” by Helen Reddy, had been her and Mo, hugging

Now she looked at a stupid store-bought cake and she le in her ether and sing dopey songs Jeez, it was e how much she missed i

t…

“Happy Birthday, honey!” Her h the kitchen

Lina’s head snapped up She saw herin the open archway that separated the kitchen fro roo

Lina couldn’t believe she was crying Crying

She threw her shoulders back and sniffed hard, then slu into the ie she’d created, the rebel in the black leather jacket Back to a place where no one expected anything of her except a sharp s like loneliness and arette, inhaling deeply, then smiled—just a twitch of the lips like Elvis—and uys”

Madelaine stared at the cigarette Her bright smile faded, and disappointment darkened her hazel eyes “I’ve asked you not to smoke in the house”

Then , she strolled forward, heron the hardwood floor When she was directly in front of her“Really?”

For a heady second she thought herLina leaned forward, waiting

Madelaine gave a helpless little shrug “It’s your birthday… Let’s not fight”

“Lina, put out the cigarette or I’ll make you eat Communion wafers,” Father Francis said

“Jeez, have a cow about it, why don’tcha?” Twirling, she strode to the kitchen sink and doused the cigarette under running water

When she turned back around, no one had moved Father Francis and Mom looked like a pair fro side by side, together, as always Best friends