【】a.”shehateshospitals.hegirlswerebo,she</p>

hand,shedhavegivenbirthin</p>

thefields.”katherinenodded.”ibelieveit.rachelsohe</p>

freespiritsofthegroup.”thegroup.jackhadtroubleseeingrachel</p>

inanygroup.duringtheyearsoftheirrriage,shehadbeenarabid</p>

nonjoinerndthatinacityheslightestcausespawneda</p>

gathering.shehadrejecteditall,hadrejectedhihadpackedup</p>

herbagsahreehourssouthtobigsur,apparentlytodoso</p>

oftheverythingsshehadrefusedtodounderhisroof.</p>

stungbythatthought,hetteredasbesogroup.”</p>

katherioppedt,thensdoyou</p>

an,sogroup””foryoutobehere,,allnight”she</p>

retuedapieceofthestickybuntoherplateandcarefullywipedher</p>

handsonanapkin.”rachelsfriend.itdidthatshe</p>

shouldbeintheoperatingroooleaifshe</p>

livedordied.”</p>

”theyherenoan</p>

leave.”shelookedathioranute.all,quickhead</p>

shake,shegatheredherdplateandpickedherselfup.</p>

inavoieherpointhout</p>

announgittotheive**,</p>

jaoeshehadrelocatedto</p>

thefarsideoftheroojaelyright.hewas</p>

iiveandungrateful.toppingthatoffhrude,heuldbegin</p>

toseeenhattoneon</p>

rachel,shehitoo.</p>

takinghisffee,heafterher.”yht,”hesaid</p>

quietly.</p>

”iive.youreherfriend,andyouvebeenherefor</p>

hours,andithankyouforthat.ieelingtired,helpless,and</p>

sanute</p>

lohentuedbacktoherroll.</p>

”yisit”heasked,suddenlyingitbadly.</p>

”serylovespanykindofthinganyfriendofrachelsisafriend</p>

ofseedaeityofpendingrefusalbeforeshe</p>

gesturedtohetablesfreechair.shesippedherteawhilehe</p>

settled,thenputthecupdatit,shesaidaquiet”for</p>

thererd,youarenotfriend.rachelis.sheseaedthat</p>

right.idonttakepeopletoheartreadily,andyourestartingata</p>

deficit.yourenottheonlyonearoundhereiredandhelpless</p>

andscared.”heuldseeitthen,threadsoffatiguebehi</p>

facade.hehadntanttokethingshel,</p>

havingaclosefriendlikethis.nodoubtkatherinekneoreabout</p>

odaythanhedid.</p>

helookedathiseto</p>

kill.</p>

heeshewasinabookgroup.”</p>

”ybethatsbeihen</p>

relentedandsaidregently,”shehelpedfroup.we</p>

anizedfiveyearsago.”</p>

”hoeet””oh.</p>

therearesevenofus.”</p>

”heothers””lo.oravelagent,one</p>

sculpts,oneoheywereallhereearlier.</p>

needlesstosay,talkingbooks.”no,jackrealized.they</p>

talkingbooks.theyalkingaboutanactthat</p>

shouldnthavehappeuingtothatforlackofanythio</p>

attack,hesaid,”herheguydrunk</p>