tastearsrlleeipenthese,heshere”

therechedhercryingshelkedslstandhelpless,hejustedtldher“itsapiecefpaper,”hesaid,sftlysteppingclsertheragain

“gerryisntapieanedlifefrfifteenyearsheisallinbillinhappyriesheisntapiecefpaper,”sherepeated

“si”danielaskedquietly

llyprayedthathecry,shedidntthinksheuldbearitifhecried

“yu,”shetkadeepbreath,“areakind,caringandincrediblytughtfulfriendandappreciate”

“butitgerry,”heinterruptedher

“intyutbegerry,”sheinsisted“iyutbedaniel”

“e”hisviceshtly

“ijusttldyyu,”shesniffed

“n,e”

shestaredatthegrund“ifeelstrnglyabutyu,daniel,butineedti”shepaused,“ltsandltsfti”

“theniiledsadlyandsarundherweakbdy

therbellrangandllysilentlybreathedasigfrelief“thatsyurtaxi”hervicesk

“illrradehisiddlefthekitetitightlygrippingthecruledenvelpeclsetherheart

stillinsellhaddisappearedsheslbedintbedlikeapshestaredattheenvelpefralngtithinkingabutdanielhadsaid

thelisthadbeessrtfabiblethershebeyedtherules,livedbytherulesandneverbrkeanyftherulesp,shejuedbutthelisthadhelpedherithadhelpedhergetutfbedintheingandstartaneeenttthelistthisndnt,asdanielhadphrasedittherereheakingdecisinsfrherself,livealifethatshefelthappyabututldingbackandhertgerryhitletitstpher

hatnadeherfeelsafe,butnnherbebrave

shetkthepneffthekandsbileshedidntntutinterruptinssheneededtsaygdbyetgerrysntacthhershethinkfrherself

sheslrepentheenvelpe,carefullytryingnttripthepaperassheslidthecarut

ntbeafraidtfallinlveagainpenyurheartandflleer,stfrthen

ps,iwillalwayslveyu

“hgerry,”shesbbed,readingthethepainfhertears

shegtverylittlesleepthatnightandthetisshedidnff,herdreaagesfdanielsandgerrysfaingledtgethersheabledtughtsfrerheadherheartfeltheavyasshethestingingldthatbedherfathetears,tfrerheadaherbraihetreesentsllyenttbeutintheicyldher

allagainandsenttheenesheuldnfideinsheeentangledinsridiculuslvetriangleanditerightutandsayitbutshepleyesquestin,itwddlifewas

andessagehadhealreadyletgfherbefrehediedhaditbeenseasyfrhijustgiveherupandresignhielftthefactthatsheeetsneelsequestins,questins,questinsandsheheanswers

afterursfttingherselfthegrundheeighbrsaslights

“hi,lly,”heeighbiggled,steppingutfrehindthetreehbulbss

“ieratingjessica,”herpartnerlaughed,akeabeautifulgardengn”

llysledsadlyasshelaughingtgether“christsalready,”llytughtalud

“iknppedlaughinglngenughtanstheyearjustfl