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Aurora got up slowly and stood by Winona “I’—”

Vivi Ann ran out of the rooled with her tears She ran until she was out of breath, and then collapsed onto the wet grass

She heard Winona co up the hill toward her Even in the sy the fence posts and leaves and the grass, her sister’s heavy breathing stood out

Winona sat down beside her

Vivi Ann didn’t move All she could think about was how ain, and how much her sister’s support would have o For a moment, she hated Winona, but then even that emotion faded Slowly, she sat up “It will fail, you know You’ll get all our hopes up, and drag us through the ain, and in the end Dallas will stay where he is and Noah will kno empty life can feel” Her voice fell to a whisper “So just stop, okay?”

“I can’t do that”

Vivi Ann had known that would be the answer, but still it hurt “So why tell me? What do you want from me?”

“Your blessing”

Vivi Ann sighed “Of course you have ”

“Thanks, and just for the record, I—”

Vivi Ann got to her feet and walked away In the cottage, she closed the door behind her, went to the kitchen and downed three straight shots of cheap tequila, then laid down on top of her bed, heedless of the dampness of her clothes or the fact that she still wore her dirty boots

“Mom?”

She hadn’t even heard Noah come into the house, but he was here now, beside her bed

“How can you not be happy?” he asked

She knew she should say so to him, prepare him for the devastation that caood mother would do