socatfur,shesaer</p>

sleepingbesideher,andithadhappenedlast</p>

night.santhahadhherinyears.shewouldhave</p>

thoughtitbehher,ifthingshadbeenlessscary.</p>

guiippedbackherheadandgaveheranudge.</p>

shenuzzledtheiheringurage.vingthe</p>

ttressaslittleaspossible,shesatupandcarefullydrehetabby</p>

intoherar.silently,shebackedoffthebedandstartedforthe</p>

door.</p>

stoppingsuddenly,sheretued,pushedherfeetintohers,</p>

andtiptoedfroheroo</p>

thesightofherfatherinthelivingrhtinstantrelief.she</p>

hadtheresobadly.santhahadsaidhee</p>

hathehadhereforaxes,thathewas</p>

toobusye.shedidthat</p>

sotisehingsnditnecessarilyingthatbrought</p>

it.shehadsehatsothingherinehad</p>

calledlookingforrachel,hadfeltanuherleft.</p>

shehadthoughtitguihevethadhatthe</p>

endands,andhopehe</p>

ooinsistthatguineveredieatho,hher.butsheedher</p>

thertobetherehappened.</p>

itanthahadsaidintothephone,”hi,katherine,”</p>

thathopeedtheeeriefeelinginsideowellbeing,</p>

ahaddroppedoutofherworld.shehad</p>

feltthesathiobigsurhouther</p>

fatherhaky,likesheandingononlyoneleg.</p>

loherfather,shefoldedher</p>

legsalysettledguinevereishirtedlap.thetabby</p>

lookedupather,purringsoftly.hopeigihatguineverefelt</p>

thesareassuranceseeingherasshefeltseeiher.</p>

only,hedidntlookveryessyand</p>

hisbeardprickly.theshadohathehadnt</p>

sleptch,adeheervous.</p>

butheething.ifrachelwasdead,he</p>

rightupouldnthehaveifshewasdead,he</p>

esoonerouldnthehave</p>

buthopedidntknohere.shehadtriedtostay</p>

aotherdidwhenshewasfeelinglonely</p>

ordoeworkso</p>

nytis,andthebooksheheldherthoughts.so</p>

shehadfallenasleep.</p>

shehatedthethoughtthathertherghthavediedwhileshe</p>

slept.</p>

ifthathadhappened,sheyfortherestofherlife.</p>

sheinghering</p>

aroundbehindhislids.sendslater,hisensedandhe</p>

jerkedaaredattheceiling,satquicklyup,pressedthe</p>

heelsofhishandstohiseyes.he</p>

intohishairtedher.</p>

hesoundedshaky.”youshouldhaveeup.”</p>

”ifiguredthatifyouuldsleep,okay,”shesaid,holdingher</p>

breath,fortheslightestsignofdenial.</p>

”shesokay,”hesaid.”sheodoalotofnding,butshes</p>

okay.”</p>

”didyoutalkhher””no.sheithinkshe</p>

knehere.”</p>

”sheisntdead””sheisntdead.”</p>

”youresure”hesee</p>

...</p>