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"Yes," I said, irl half e

"You'll be fine" Daddy insisted, more to convince himself than me "And I'm not finished with any of this yet That's a proed

None of us spoke

A deep silence fell over us and settled in our van with only the whir of the tires on the highway providing any sound at all

That, and the quiet beating of htened heart

7

Secrets in the Night

It was as if soer,

indignation and disgust knit themselves into a heavy blanket and draped the in the house Mrs Geary was at the front door as soon as we pulled up to the ralass , an ancient reat sadness captured on the tip of an artist's brush and e her hands against her breasts, waiting to set eyes on ically

Daddy helped Mommy out of the van, and Mrs Geary approached us

"I've got some of my ho toward me She kneas one of my favorites, especially the way she made it

"We're all so tired I don't think any of us has an to push her up the ramp

"So hot in your stomach's important at times like this," Mrs Geary advised

"She's right," Daddy said "We'll get settled in and then have some late lunch"

Mrs Geary put her arm around my shoulders Never one to show her affection openly, she surprised me