ysoingpathyandnce
“atleastyoutried,”shesaid
“alotofgoodthatdid,huh”
“ybehedidntknohisfathersletter”
paulshookhishead“itsnotjustthatitgoesbanotevengoingtogetthechance”“thatsnotyourfault”
“thenfeelthatway”
inthesilencethatfollohetickingoftheheater“becauseyoucarebecauseyouvechanged”
“nothingsaginehoeonebelievesthataboutyou”“no,”sheadtted,“iethinglikethat”
paulnodded,lookingdrawn
adrienneovingtoandreachingforhishanditiffatfirst,butherelaxedandshefelthisfingerscurlintohers“ashardasitistoaesoonelikeyouthantoaehadeandnotterhoethingiortantbygoingtherethising”“sthat”
“youlistenedtothechancetotellyouhogetitoffhischest,andintheend,thatsprobablyakeittourt,heedyoutohearhissideofthestoryinpersontoknoheyfeel”paullaughedgriy“thatkesfeelabetter”
adriennesqueezedhishand“nottheotherwayaround”paulsaidnothing,butdeepdohough,hadntherealizeditbefore“iknoesothingiortanttoday,andrethanthat,itethingyoudidnthavetodoyoucanbeproudofthat”“noneofhappenedsurprisedyou,didit1”
“notreally”
“didyouknooing”
“iightgolikethis”
abriefslefliething,youknohat”
“isthatagoodthingorabadthing”
hesqueezedherhand,thinkingthathelikedtheostasifhedbeenholdingitforyears“itsagreatthing,”hesaid
hetuedtofaanddaughter,orthean,ortheladyeonedifferent,sooneshebarelyregnizedhertiherehadbeendreaike,andthoughdreaindedherselfthattheyoreshetookasllstepbackentinhiseyes,butitvanishedashelookedofftothesideshesled,forcingherselftokeephervoicesteady“areyoustillupforhelpingean”
“sure”paulnodded“justletthroehes”
“youvegottiivegottorunuptothestorefirst,anyefoodhandyincasethepo”“okay”
shepaused“yougonnabeallright”
“illbefine”
sheakesureshebelievedhithentuedaoldherself,sheddoherightthingshetohavetuedatohaveletgoofhishandyetassheslippedoutthedoor,sheuldntesissingforfartoolongpaulakesenseofinutesago,ethingspecial,butjustasquicklyasithade,itwhyheuldunderstandadriennesreservationstheyalllivedinaits,afterall,andthosedidntalpulsiveattetstoliveinthenthekneonthshadbeenanattettodefythoselits,torejebracedforsolongittoexpeyesterday,thoseresponsibilitiesrequiredstabilityandpredictabilityhedbeenthesahoughhehepositiontolivebydifferentrules,adrienne,herealized,noheless,sothinghadehedbeenhere,heighthavebeenyesterdayaboutherfather,oreventhisingaybeithappenedselfholdingherhandandstandingclose,orethantogentlypresshislipsagainsthersitdidnttterallhekneannadadrienne,chingtheinnforafriendinatinyastaltohcarolinaeleven
roberttorrelsonsatattheagingrolltopdeskinhislivingroolisteningashissonboardedupthepaulflanner,andhelyfoldingandunfoldingit,sti
