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“She’ll improve for a while” His voice was soft as he bent over the bed and brushed the hair froently “But not forever”

Lou raised Mrs Wester’s hand to her lips and kissed it, then placed the hand back on the covers

“Ready to go home?” Brody asked

“Whenever you are,” Lou replied

Lou and Brody walked through the sliding doors and toward the parking lot The pavement was blackened and da sounds as she walked toward the car

“Mary? Mary Smith? Is that you, child?” Sso lot and Lou heard quick footfalls approaching A hand with skinny fingers clutched her arhened by the hands of time Her heartbeat quickened

“I’ue nearly refused to work

“Mary Lou, it’s me, Mrs Downy I lived next door to your family when you lived on Broad Street That o”

Lou raised her nose a few inches and she assu of someone else” She removed the older woman’s hand from her arm and turned to walk away

Mrs Downy said softly, “I’m sorry I had youmore, but Lou didn’t hear the words, because she was already in the Jeep with the door closed, sweat beading her forehead

Brody walked over to the driver’s si

de door and motioned for Lou to move over She hesitated briefly and then slid across to the passenger’s seat

Brody slid into the driver’s seat and held out his hand for the keys “Are you okay? You’re not going to faint onspace

“No! Of course not Once in a lifetime is plenty” She’d never live it down if she did it more than once

Brody raised a hand in et to have a woman sprawled across my lap” His atte in the air like a wet blanket