nths,holly,”sheostfeltlikeiledatherenuragingly“thendoyouthinkthatybehesnottherightkindofpersonforyou”
atheego”shestaredforalongtiatthephotograph
iliarsoundoftheingfrohebeaforterailiaoises
downbesideher“sorry,hol”
“hey,youdontneedtobesorryatall,”shesaid,squeezingherhand“youshouldhavetoldallthisehoinsteadofkeepingitallinside”
“butthisisonlynorparedtoshappenedtoyouifeelstupidevencryingaboutit”sheears,angryhherself
hollyeoneyouloveisalatteriftheyrealiveor”sheuldntfinishthesenteneanything”
“itsjustthatyouvebeensobrave,holly,idontknocryingoverastupidboyfriendionlyonths”
“brave”hollylaughed“iwish”
“yesyouare,”ciarainsisted“everyonesayssoyouvebeensostrongthrougheverythingifiewhere”
“dontgogivingideas,iledather,hhadcalledherbrave
“youreok,though,arentyou”ciarasaidudyingherface
hollylookeddoelostintheiroerthanhollyhadeverseenher,satbyhersidepatientlyainghollysreply
“aok”hollyrepeatedthequestiontoherselfshelookedaheadatthellelonely,iired,iad,iappy,iucky,inlucky;illiondifferentthingseverydayofthe”
shelookedtohersisterandsledsadly
“andyourebrave,”ciaraassuredher“andcalndinntrolandorganized”
hollyshookherheadslonotbraveyourethebraveoneyoudoingfronedaytothenext”
beingbrave,holly”
“yesyouare,”hollyinsisted“allthosethingsthatyoudo,likejuingoutofairplanesandsnoorecrazythingsherlittlesisterdid
ydearsisterthatsnotbrave,thatsfoolishanybodycanbungeejuoffabridgeyouulddoit”ciaranudgedher
hollyseyeserrifiedatthethought,andsheshookherhead
ciarasvoicesoftened“oh,youe,theresnothingbraveaboutit”
hollylookedathersisterandtchedhertone“yes,andifyourhusbanddiedyouotheresnothingbraveaboutittheresnochoiceinvolved”
ciaraandhollystaredateachother,aheothersbattle
allfraandhuggedhertightly“”
hollythoughthersisterlookedlikesuchachildhherbiginnocentblueeyesshefeltliketheyhchildrenagain,sittingonthefloorheyusedtoplaytogetherduringtheirchildhoodandheyheyeenagers
theysatinsilencelisteningtothesoundsoutside
“ethingyouataboutearlieron”ciaraaskedquietlyorechildishvoicehollyhadtolaughathersisterfortryingtotakeadvantage
“no,forgetaboutit,itoutsidethedoor,deessage,andhefroessage:beredthenightbefore
tytwo
itbynow
sheaginationordiditlookalittletidieritpletessethingaboutitlookeddifferent
thesoundofalao,presungitwashewhohadhelpedher,andheheldhishandupinresponse
ithadalebodyhadtodothedirtythatthereple;justasllpatchofgrasssurroundedbyafeintheorethananovergro
thisthoughtnoindedhollyoftheorisedherselfnottoletitdieunderhercareshethreicrod
