ying the price. A deep, rattling cough shook her small frame as she curled up in the st

ed. It was a t

PM. Thought you should know, that's righ

eparture, his celebration. Two liv

ng with the ghosts of yesterday. The movers had taken her boxes. She did one l

asures. Dried flowers, old letters, a faded photograph of her and her parents. She picked it up and carri

, Brady's car pulled into the dri

ht you w

t of my things," she

e, then back at her. "So tha

at what y

e had loved for so long. Ther

irthday next week... could you come have din

olish plea to the boy who

her as if she

m with Hettie now. My life is with her. Why would I spe

as absolute.

y what she ne

" she said. "H

r and drove away wi

lit up for his party, she receiv

have gotten her new

e are

idn't

came through.

sa, pi

to talk

was him. She let

A garbled, slurring voic

. I... I'm

ed, her he

nder, desperate. A name slipped from

don't leave

oman. In his drunken stupor, in his moment of suppo

he phone fall

the floor, the s

ike he