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“Don’t say that, Lexi ”

Lexi sed hard She knehat she had to do Eva would have to be forced to let go “I won’t see you again, Eva It won’t do you any good to come back ”

“Oh, Alexa…”

It was all in that softly spoken naret, the disappointment, the loss—and it hurt to hear it;away the only person in the world who loved her But it was for Eva’s own good

And wasn’t that what love was supposed to be?

“When I get out, I’ll come to Florida,” Lexi said

“I won’t let you do this,” Eva said, her eyes filling with tears

“No I won’t let you do this,” Lexi said “Give me this, Eva Please Let me do this for you It’s all I can do ”

Eva sat there a long time Then, finally, she wiped her eyes “I’ll write every week ”

Lexi could only nod

“And I’ll send pictures ”

They kept talking, both of the up a store of words that would keep theot to her feet She looked even older now,

“Good-bye, Alexa,” Eva said

Lexi stood there, nodding “Thanks for…” Her voice broke

Eva pulled her into a hug and held on to her tightly “I love you, Alexa,” she said