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>
sotisehingsnditnecessarilyingthatbrought</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>
fatherhaky,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>
rightupouldnthehaveifshewasdead,he</p>
esoonerouldnthehave</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>