quot;hesaid,"notatall.butmr.hammondhasnevermadesucharequestbefore,andiassumethematterisveryimportanttohim."hebangedforeffect,thenlookedatsomepapersonhisdesk."i'llagreetoadjournuntilmonday;nineo'clocksharp."
"thankyou,yourhonour.”lonsaid.
twominuteslaterhewasleavingthecourthouse.hewalkedtothecarhehadparkeddirectlyacrossthestreet,gotinandbeganthedrivetonewbern,hishandsshaking,
noahmadebreakfastforalliewhileshesleptinthelivingroom.bacon,rollsandcoffee,nothingspectacular.hesetthetraybesideherasshewokeup,andassoonastheyhadfinishedeatingtheymadeloveagain,inpowerfulconfirmationofwhattheyhadsharedthedaybefore.
theyshoweredandafterwardsallieputonherdress,whichhaddriedovernightshespentthemorningwithnoah,togethertheyfedclemandcheckedthewindowstomakesurenodamagebadbeendoneinthestorm.twopinetreesbadblownover,thoughneitherhadcausedmuchdamage,andafewshingleshadmownofftheshed,but,otherthanthat,thepropertyhadescapedunscathed.
heheldherhandmostofthemorningandtheytalkedeasily,butsometimeshewouldstopspeakingandjuststareather.whenhedid,shefeltasthoughsheshouldsaysomething,butnothingmeaningfulevercameintoherhead.sheusuallyjustkissedhim.
alittlebeforenoon,noahandalliewentintopreparelunch.usingwhathehadonhand,theytriedsomechickenandbakedanotherbatchofbreadrolls,andthetwoofthemateontheporch,serenadedbyamockingbird.
whiletheywereinsidedoingthedishes*theyheardaknockatthedoor,noahleftallieinthekitchen.
knock,knock.louder.
noahapproachedthedoor.
knock,knock.
"i'mcoming,"hesaidasheopenedthedoor."oh,mygod."
hestaredforamomentatabeautifulwomaninherearlyfifties,awomanhewouldhaverecognizedanywhere.
"hello,noah,"shesaid.
noahsaidnothing.
“mayicomein?"sheasked,hervoicesteady,revealingnothing.
hestammeredoutareplyasshewalkedpasthim,stoppingjustbeforethestairs.
"whoisit?"allieshoutedfromthekitchen,andthewomanturnedatthesoundofhervoice.
"it'syourmother.”noahfinallyanswered,andimmediatelyafterhesaiditheheardthesoundofbreakingglass.
"iknewyouwouldbehere,"annenelsonsaidtoherdaughterasthethreeofthemsataroundthecoffeetableinthelivingroom.
"howcouldyoubesosure?"
"you'remydaughter.onedaywhenyouhavekidsofyourown,you'llknowtheanswer."shesmiled,buthermannerwasstiff,andnoahimaginedhowdifficultthismustbeforher."isawthearticle,too,andisawyourreaction.ialsosawhowtenseyou'vebeenduringthelastcoupleofweeks,andwhenyousaidyouweregoingshoppingnearthecoast,iknewexactlywhatyoumeant."
"whataboutdaddy?"
annenelsonshookherhead,"no,ididn'ttellyourfatheroranyoneelseaboutit.nordiditellanyonewhereiwasgoingtoday."
"whydidyoucome?"allieasked.
"icamebecauseihadto,"hermothersaid,"whichi'msureisthesamereasonyoucame.amiright?"
allienodded.
anneturnedtonoah."iknowyoudon'tthinkso,butialwayslikedyou.ijustdidn'tthinkyouwererightformydaughter.canyouunderstandthat?"
heshookhisheadasheanswered."no,notreally.itwasn’tfairtome,anditwasn'tfairtoallie.otherwiseshewouldn'tbehere."
shewatchedhimasheanswered,butshesaidnothing.allie,sensinganargument,cutin."whatdoyoumeanwhenyousayyouhadtocome?don'tyoutrustme?"
anneturnedbacktoherdaughter."thishasnothingtodowithtrust.thishastodowithlon.hecalledthehouselastnighttotalktomeaboutnoah,andhe'sonhiswayhererightnow.heseemedveryupset.ithoughtyou'dwanttoknow."
allieinhaledsharply."he'sonhisway?"
"aswespeak.hearrangedtohavethetrialpostponeduntilnextweek.ifhe'snotinnewbernyet,he'sclose."
"whatdidyousaytohim?"
"notmuch.butheknew.hehaditallfiguredout.herememberedmytellinghimaboutnoahalongtimeago.”
allieswallowedhard,"didyoutellhimiwashere?"
"no.andiwon't.that'sbetweenyouandhim.butknowinghim,i'msurehe'llfindyou.allittakesisacoupleofphonecallstotherightpeople.afterall,iwasabletofindyou,"
allie,thoughobviouslywearied,smiledathermother."thankyou,"shesaid,andhermotherreadiedforherhand.
"iknowwe'vehadourdifferences,allie,andthatwehaven'tseeneyetoeyeoneverything.buti'm-yourmotherandthatmeansi’llalwaysloveyou."
alliewassilentforamoment,then:"whatshouldido?"
"idon’tknow,allie,that'suptoyou.butiwouldthinkaboutit.thinkaboutwhatyoureallywant.”
allieturnedaway,hereyesreddening.amomentlaterateardrifteddownhercheek."idon'tknow..."shetrailedoff,andhermothersqueezedherhand.
annelookedatnoah,whohadbeensittingwithhisheaddown,listeningcarefully.asifoncue,hereturnedhergaze,noddedandlefttheroom.
whenhewasgone,annewhispered,"doyoulovehim?"
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