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Leo hurried away as quickly as he could with his pronounced limp

"Why don't you take an uo out?"

"It slipped my mind," I said

"Well, here on, don't let it slip," he snapped "Get yourself presentable and ready for your work," he added, his words like little whips being snapped at me Then he turned and walked off

Leo returned with the towel and I dried my hair,I thanked hiave him back the towel and hurried toin the kitchen As I passed by, Mary Margaret stepped out and stopped when she saw htwith e, but as shy as ever, she looked away quickly, nodded and went into the dining roo the dinner table

"I'll be right along," I said and continued down the hallway

I got out ofand dried myself off as quickly as I could When I returned to the kitchen, Mrs Chester glanced at the clock, which was her way of telling ood ten minutes late, and then nodded at the hot potatoes

"Peel 'em and mash 'em," she ordered

"Sorry I'm late," I muttered

"I' well before you caone"

I knew she meant it as simply a statement of fact, but tonificant I was to her life If I disappeared off the face of the earth, ould even notice? Roy, I guess, but not for that long Grandmother Hudson would, but she would also load that spine of hers with steel and continue on as if I'd never existed Maybe Randall would miss me for a moment or two as well, but certainly not my real parents I truly believed they would all recuperate quickly and in tiet what I looked like

"'If you work at that pace, Mr and Mrs Endfield will be on their afters before we serve 'em those potatoes," Mrs Chester commented

I realized I was daydrea I was supposed to do and then helped serve the dinner as usual Only nohen I entered the dining room, my Great-aunt Leonora applauded and started to talk about the school's showcase night again

"We have a budding new star in our hoh," she said

Great-uncle Richard grunted