onlyohatttered.

jaar,bentoingthatringonrachels

finger,estridingdohehill,bellowing,”saw

yourtruytheloure,figuredyouhadnt

left.”hestoedtoahalt.”stoseerachel.ithought

iddriveherupafterhthat””uh,no.

none.”hisbearings,heouched.hekfaith

didoften.”rachelea

aantued

toleave.

”pulseandback.”ieading

thereruck,iuldputthechairinthe

back.

shoetodo,andillgetherinandout.”dunsexpression

able.”shedoesntgofare.”

”itansshedbeabletospendlongerhrachel.”dunlookedup

toinute,hestarted

g.”getthetrukhadselfishreasonsffaith

inhiscar.

heenvisionedfortyfivenutesofionthaturally

tuonrachel.

thereweregapsinhisknowledgeofherearlyyearsinbigsur.if

anyoneuldfillthen,ith.

andtheionhty,sittinginherlong

flohathidpencilthin,uselesslegs.shechatted

about,though,alkedabouttheearlyhers

andthoseesltingand

sggling,ofarduouslylongtripsfroontereybystageach.she

gaveabloethingto

sayabouteachbridgetheypassed.

”tourisasbeenainstayinthesepartssiuofthe

tury,”shesaid,”buttouristsrarelyuandlivinghere

ans.itsanisolatedlife,thatway.wekeepour

privateroadsunpavedandourlivessile.thereslittleprivately

oericityisa

retthinginsoyularlyduring

stor.

arkets.”daylight

flashedoffherspeles.”itsaquietlife.ong

ourselvesfroitoti,butpeopleolivehereare

usuallyselfsuffitsorts.artists,yes.ers.ranchers,like

us.

retirees.peopletheresorts.freespirits.haveyou

hebeach”sheaskedandontotellofsolstice

celebrations,ings,and..

riptides.

jacklisteoeveryonlybyshesaidbutby

thelyrical.ituntiltheyreachedthehospital

thatherealizedhehadbeenwaed.

jadrachelalpersonnelkne.

rachelsfriendskne.faithblighkne.

sojackfeltalittleatheeically,he

hadnhtputtingitonherhand.butheeditthere.he

ighthelp.heedhertoseeitwhenshewoke

up.

hethoughthediditbrilliantly.afterparkingfaithonrachels

rightside,hediatelytoherleftside.hetookherhand

henstraightened.holdingherhandclose

tohischest,hehrougharoundofexercises.

slippingtheringonotion.hatitwas

looserthanithadeverbeen.itwason.

faithsaall,roundglasses

fleherestrieyes,becauseshehseeingrachel

thiser,stillstri,shelookedbahels

face.

jae

thatsaysifshedoesnttheringthere,shellopenhereyesand

tellso.”

”sheusedtoetis,”faithsaid.hereyessearched

rae.heiginedsheissiontospeak.

”atthebeginning”heasked.

”everyyear.onthefourthofjuly.”independenceday.theirwedding

anniversary.”ber,

butiteasy.shealheasighofreliefhatday

ydays

thinkingaboutalliulddoiflegsan.

rachel,blessher,uedsour.sheleaedtolivehthose

ries.”

”didyouknothebaby”faithtuggedashaloseonher

shoulders.”shetold.”

”sheshouldhavetold.”faiththoughtaboutthat.here

lehitslittleecap.thereionwhenshe

spoke,nation.”shesaidsheonyour

akeyoufeel

guiltyetyouback.”hearrybecause

she.”hepushedhishandsintohishairandlaughed.

”god,thatsfunny.

vionstrosityofa

aboutsaiarriagebythat,notbyanybaby.

victoriadidntcarethatrachel.itdidntshow.noone

knepande,

victoriaheshotgunoutfast.hat

baby.

rachelandibothdid.hedevilhinkiwas

forced

”faithsbroenth

soonehungupthephoneandartedthinkingabout

thedisagreentdeassutionsandgeneralizationsaboutthe

person,andbuiltthep,builtthepuntiltheytookonthel

realityofyerorhurtthenyousahepersonagain,andit

entthatcarriednoneof

theiledthat,sadsle.”etions

bepotent.theyshadethingsinayhavenothingtodo

hreality.rachelhelossofthatchild.shewas

upset.sheehofroourtrip

evenedshehadbeen

fearingfornths,thatyoudidntcare.shethoughtusingthe

pregnanipulateyouheoldest,lotrithebook.

”thatdidsoundlikerachel.she

true.

sheshouldhavetoldhibutheshouldhaveehoevenhout

knowing.

heshouldhaveletherknou,buthehad

stoppeddoingthat.hehadshutdoriptotorontowasonly

thelastinagrootional.hey,and

no.

heranthepadofhisthuoverthescrapesthatwerenearlyhealed.

herfrecklesing,aswereherlips,

...