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"I'an about this,'" Mommy said Then she looked up at me, a smile around her eyes "If I did, she'd only write it on a piece of paper and bury it in the backyard,

"One of these days all those seeds of unhappiness are going to sprout into black trees with tears dangling instead of leaves," she added

"How horrible," I said

Morew very serious

"You don't bury your bad times and pretend they never happened honey You face them and you conquer them Then you can bury them

"That's what I've done," she said "That's what I'll always do" She said it as if she knew there was more to come

9

The Lake's Victim

Aunt Alison never so much as said thank you to

Uncle Roy When she was resting cory and then, when she saw Daddy, she teased hi her life, too

"I couldn't ask for a better ive me mouth-to-mouth Austin" she told hi her breast "where you pumped so hard It probably would have been easier if I was flat chested"

Daddy never really blushed like other people He got red only around the crest of his cheeks and around his eyes

"It would have been easier if you hadn't gone swi," Mommy commented for him

We had put Aunt Alison in the nest bedrooht up some hot chicken noodle soup for her, but she wouldn't take a spoonful She insisted she needed soe juice After that Daddy took Harper downstairs to give hi to eat and drink, while Mommy and I stayed with Aunt Alison

"I guess I've eain," she told Mommy as soon as Daddy and Harper left