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He reached past her and eased the kettle off the heat "Sood"

Savannah squeezed back tears What rong with her? Why was she so unlovable? Other children were hugged and kissed and loved by their parents She'd seen that kind of affection at her friend Lila's house, and every time she saw Mr Hannah pat Lila's shoulder or kiss the

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top of his daughter's head, Savannah felt a dull, throbbing ache in her midsection

It had to be soo Soly that made her parents turn away

She bent tiredly and opened the oven door, carefully extracting the golden loaf of bread Using her apron to shield her hands, she moved the loaf to a riddle board and started to slice it thickly

Katie went to the table and sat down Her little elbows thumped on the scarred wooden surface The steady thus was a welcome end to the silence "What's for dinner, Vannah?"

Savannah slopped a ladleful of stew into a bowl, balanced a plateful of bread on top, and headed for the table "Rabbit stew, cottage bread, and soave us"

Katie wrinkled her nose "Rabbit stewagain?"

Savannah set the food on the table, and gently cuffed her baby sister on the head "Watch it, you," she said, set it for breakfast, too"

Daddy dished hi bowl of stew and laid two slices of bread on the bowl's ri it carefully, he mumbled, "Thanks," to Savannah and headed to the back porch to eat in solitude

Savannah headed back to the stove and got herself a small bowl of stew Then she went over to her usual dinner spot Leaning against the dry sink, fe

eling the towel rack jabbing against her lower back, she ate her dinner

No one spoke, and the entire meal was over in less than ten minutes After Katie left, Savannah carried both of their bowls to the dry sink and set them on the wooden

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