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Hilda bustled out of the room and closed the door behind her

Madelaine leaned down and whispered in To to be fine” She knew that ree; but Madelaine believed in the power of the mind and spirit to heal the body At least, she wanted it to be true

Tom’s eyes fluttered open “Hiya, Doc,” he said in a scratchy voice “It feels like someone drove a monster truck over my chest”

She sood man when he was down”

“You women libbers … you’re all the same”

She laughed quietly “Women libbers Now, there’s a phrase I haven’t heard in a while You’re dating yourself, Tom”

“Believe hed and rubbed his throat “Inolder” Then he touched her hand, so gently that for a second she didn’t even recognize what he’d done “Stay for a while”

She saw the fear

in To so hard to hide beneath a shield of jokes and easy comebacks “When will Susan be here?”

“After work Not too er”

Madelaine picked up the phone and dialed the rectory The housekeeper got Francis on the line

“Hi, Francis,” she said softly “Could you pick Lina up from school?”

“You bet You want me to take her out for dinner?”

’That would be great,” she answered “I’ll be home in a few hours”

She hung up the phone, then reached backward and pulled up a chair Sitting down, she leaned close to the bed “Last night you were tellinglessons…”