Page 88 (1/2)

He smiles “Ahh, so then you hadn’t heard I suppose I’ve answered

I dig for another minute while my head throbs andThen I can’t help myself “Mark—what did you say?”

He looks up “What part then? Ms White Coat being mute?”

“You said mute?”

“Not anymore of course That’s been a few years past Before her ti at the clinic, and she resuirl, she didn’t speak I don’t suppose she told you”

My throat tightens “No” I keep digging, harder norap my hand around the shovel’s handle till htly

“It was the queerest thing Her parents—they both passed on in sort of tragic fashion Droith her there in the boat when she was just a wee one Though I suppose your father and you were here visiting when that went on I remember that Do you?”

I nod “I was six, so I remember some of it”

“When we got her back, she wasn’t right up there” He points to his head, and my stomach does a slow roll

“What do you mean?”

He throws some dirt over his shoulder “Didn’t speak a word for I don’t kno long, suppose near ten years”

Ten years

My hands shake so hard I can barely hold the shovel

“So what, then one day she just…started talking?”

“Sorandmother was a lovely woman Helped her quite a bit I’ve heard she passes as quite ordinary now, but I’ve never spoken to her Wondered if she had a voice at all”