cheguinevere.”ahoutsaying.hewas</p>

droppingthegirlsatsel,headingnorthtontereyand</p>

thehospital,drivingnaintosanfrankdooget</p>

thegirlsatschool,uptothehospitalagain.bigsuryfive</p>

nutessouthofcarl.</p>

itdidntkeseoaddniynutes,roundtrip,toallthat</p>

otherdriving,justforthesakeofthecat.</p>

”itleaveheralone,daddy,”hopebegged.”notallday.not</p>

lyingthereallalone,all</p>

daylong””ysdifferent.therearedoctorsandnurseshe</p>

realizedhehadfallenintoatrapwhenshebegannodding.</p>

sighing,hegavein.buthereallydidntissingschool</p>

kay,largelybecausehereallydidnttohavetodrivedoo</p>

getherdday.therehadtobeanotheraboutdun”</p>

ifthened,heulddothis.”thinkhed</p>

cheher”hopelookedskeptical.”hesgo,too.buthe</p>

eshoforlunch.”shebrightenedrginally.”iuldask.”</p>

dunhadaunterofferthathopelikedeveer,thoughjackhad</p>

noideauandter</p>

offspendingthedayatdunsthanatherownhouse.</p>

”hehasfaith,”</p>

push.</p>

hehadbeenhearingaboutdunsfaithforyears.thegirls</p>

ntiointhesabreathansna,sooftenthatjack</p>

hadactuallyaskedrachelherdunbelooacult.</p>

bigsurhaditsshareoffreespirits,aginghippies,sunworshipers,</p>

heold.rachelhadlaughedroundly.</p>

sodunatteredretojackhatin</p>

therushtogetdressedandat,litter,andfoodtothe</p>

sllranchthreeheroad,hopefotabouther</p>

stohe.</p>

jacke</p>

out,hesaid,”thanks.thisansalottoher.”</p>

”hoother</p>

””thesa.ieadingtherenow.”</p>

”bettercallben.”</p>

”beforedunuldansaken</p>

thebignshandandhreverence.</p>

itepictureeautifulhope,hsunnyblondhair,hazelgold</p>

eyes,andnoatouchoflorunderherfreckles,and</p>

dun,elyhhisbigebeard,longears,and</p>

leatheryhands.</p>

”illeforherlater,”hopewassaying.</p>

thebignnodded,gaveherhandasqueeze,andnudgedhertoward</p>

jack.</p>

thehospital,rachelhe,lyingon</p>

crispellingasaicasshehadthedaybefore.</p>

hehadbroughtatubeofandbeganrubbingit</p>

ontothosestretchesofherskinthatwerebare.</p>

”better,”hesaid</p>

flattered.idhavethoughtyouhedlotionto</p>

hercheeks,hebruise.”bladbluehere,</p>

”hetoldher.”iftheydidntkheydbewwho</p>

hityou.</p>

goodthingithathehadeverraisedahand</p>

torachelrtoeitherofthekids.for,everotherfaultshehad,</p>

thatohesonofanaviddisciplinar>ugian,hehad</p>

seenenoughraisedhandstolasthilifeti.”illbetyouhavea</p>

...</p>