Page 73 of Into the Garden (Wildflowers 5)

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"Just habit. You want to open it?"

She thought a moment.

"No, it's all right. I guess!'

I turned off the light. We lay there in the

darkness, both of us with our eyes open. When I

glanced at her, she looked like she was listening. "Your house creaks a lot," she said. "Right?" "Just the wind," I said. "It's an old house!' "Right."

"Good night, Misty. Thanks for staying over." "Night."

She turned over. There was a sound from below

even I didn't recognize. I could feel her body tighten

be- side me.

"Is that the wind?" she asked. "Cat?"

"I guess," I said.

"You guess?"

"Yes," I said. "It's only the wind."

"Somehow, in the darkness, it's harder to be

brave," Misty said.

"Do you want me to leave a light on?" "If you do," she said.

I smiled, got up, and turned on the light in my bathroom, closing the door just enough to let some

illumination into the bedroom.

"Better?"

"Sure," she said. "Night."

"Night."

"Your mother," she said. "I mean your real

mother. She sounds very nice."

"Yes."

"Too bad you can't do what she wished and

meet her now after you have learned the truth. It's not

fair. None of this is fair," she added. She reached back

to squeeze my hand once and then she fell asleep. I smiled to myself.

Fair, I thought. What an illusion that was for all

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