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Falteringly she came to perch on the love seat next to lanced at , looked away "I need someone to talk to, Cathy, someone wise, like you"

How pitiful and young she sounded, even younger than Cindy I put down o on You have enough to cry about I've been harsh with you, and I know that

Her head bowed down on o and sobbed with abandon

"Help me, Cathy, please helpof Jory and how terrible he lad youthat at the time Today when I went alone, he s to him I know I've been childish and weak Yet each ti hi but his arms and head I kiss him, hold his hand, but once I start to talk about is, he turns his head toward the wall and refuses to respond Cathyyouto accept his disability, but I think he's willing himself to die--and it's my fault, my fault!"

Astonishment widened my eyes "Your fault? It was an accident, you can't blame yourself"

In a breathless gush her words spilled forth "You don't understand why I feel as I do! It's been troubling uilt It's because we're here, in this cursed house! Jory didn't want to have a baby until years from now He made me promise before we married that until we'd been on the top for at least ten years, ouldn't start a fa the pill I wanted to have my first baby before I was thirty I reasoned that after the baby was conceived he wouldn't want me to have an abortion When I told him he blew! He stormed at me--and demanded I have an abortion"

"Oh, no" I was shocked, thinking I didn't know Jory nearly as well as I'd thought

"Don't bla was his world," Melodie continued in a gasping way, as if she'd been running uphill for weeks "I shouldn't have done what I did I told hi came first with him, and I was second He never lied or told nant, we abandoned our tour, came hereand look what happened! It's not fair, Cathy, not fair! On this very day we'd be in London but for the baby He'd be on stage, bowing, accepting the applause, the bouquets, doing what he was born for I tricked hiht about his accident, and what's he going to do no can I make up for what I've stolen from him?"

She trembled all over as I held her What could I say? I bit down onfor her, for Jory We were so much alike in so hi him in Spain--and that had led to his end Never deliberately harht, as Melodie did what she considered right

Who ever counted the flowers that died e pulled up the weeds? I shookmyself out of the abyss of yesterdays and turned my full concentration on the moment

"Melodie, Jory's just as scared as you are, ood reason You aren't to bla He's happy about the baby now that it's on its way Many men protest ives want babies, but when they see the child they helped create, they're won over He lies there on his bed, as you lie on yours, wondering how histo work out now that he can't dance He's the one who is crippled He's the one who has to face up to everyday life, knowing he'll be unable to sit when he wants to; knowing he can't sit in a regular chair and get up and dohen he feels like it; nor can he walk in the rain, or run on the grass, or even go to the bathroom in a normal way

"All the siranted will now be very difficult for him And think of what he was This is a terrible blow to his pride He wasn't even going to try and cope for fear he'd burden you too much But listen to this This afternoon when I ith hi effort to cheer up and lift himself out of his depression And he will He'll make it, and a lot of it will be because you've helped by just visiting and sitting there with hio you convince him you still love him"

Why did she draw from my arms and turn her face away? I watched her brush the tears from her face i

With effort she spoke again "I don't knohat it is, but I keep having scary drea evenweird about this house Soone, and-Bart is in his office, and Joel is praying in that ugly, bare roo It see to tellI hear the floor squeak outside my door so I jump up and race to throw open the door--and no one is there, no one is ever there I suspect it's only ination, but I hear, as you've said you do so my mind, Cathy? Am I?"

"Oh, Melodie," I ain, but she putto the far endof the sofa