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It was nearly nine o’clock and the farm was quiet

The only light on in the house shone in Loreda’s upstairsHer daughter was in bed reading, just as Elsa had done at her age She walked out into the yard The chickens roused theically as she passed by and quieted quickly She heardmusic on his fiddle Elsa knew that music was how he spoke to Rose in these hard times, how he reminded them of their past and their future, how he said, I love you

She saw Rafe in the darkness by the corral, an upright slash of black against the black slats of the corral, all of it sheened silver by the light of a waxing arette

He heard her footsteps, she could tell

Rafe pulled away froarette, and dropped the uns wafted toward them

Elsa stopped in front of Rafe All it would take was the smallest movement and she could rest her hand on his shoulder She knew the faded blue cha, hot day She’d hearment he owned and knew each one by touch

Hoas it possible that Elsa was close enough to her husband that she could feel the heat coarettes on his breath and still feel as if an ocean sloshed between them?

He surprised her by taking her hand and pulling her into his arms

“You reht of ours, out in the truck in front of Steward’s barn?”

Elsa nodded uncertainly These were things they didn’t speak of

“You said you wanted to be brave I just wanted … to be somewhere else”

Elsa stared up at him, saw his pain, and it hurt her, too “Oh, Rafe—”

He kissed her on the lips, long and slow and deep, letting his tongue taste hers “You were h to look at her “Remember me then?”

It was thehe’d ever said to her, and it filled her with hope “Always,” she whispered

Tony’stheir staccato songs The geldingswith their noses, rery