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"You heard ant and…and…" She tried to think of a word that adequately described hih that debacle of a ht side her

"He didn’t have to say anything I got the rand me if I don’t tell them what happened"

"Let me put it succinctly Mark isn’t interested Period If you think he is, then you and your fa his wheelchair behind her, Barbie whirled around to face hi for the next ht, Mark?"

Mark was silent

"You like her, don’t you, Uncle Mark?"

"I came to see a movie," he responded, his voice ione online She is right I’irl an I-told-you-so look and stalked out She was all the way to the exit when Mark called her narily "Don’t worry," she told him before he could say a word "I won’t ain--at any ed as if it made no difference to him "Whatever"

Over the years, Barbie had coe apathy With as ather, she continued toward the parking lot

She was surprised when Tessa ran out of the building after her "He didn’t ," she said breathlessly "Hoould he know you hated scaryto see soive hi so hard?" Barbie asked She illing to accept that she’d made a mistake andto invite his rejection over and over again

"You have to give him another chance," Tessa said

"Why?"

Tessa paused, then answered on a heavy sigh "Because my uncle Mark deserves to be loved" Her eyes pleaded with Barbie’s "This is new to hiirlfriend and never loved anyone else and then she duulped in a breath "I’m positive he likes you--only he doesn’t kno to show it"

Barbie hesitated If anything about this entire evening astonished her, it was that Mark hadn’t come outside and insisted his nieceinside her purse, she searched for a business card "Okay, fine Give him this and tell hierness as she nodded "Great! Thank you so much Thank you, thank you You won’t be sorry, I pro wretched, Barbie did what she always did when she needed solace--she drove to her mother’s house

Lillie opened the door and i?" Without delay she led her into the kitchen "It isn’t the boys, is it?"

Barbie sed hard and shook her head

Hands on her hips, Lillie stood in thekitchen "Should I put on coffee or bring out the shot glasses?"

Barbie ed to smile "This time I think I need both"

Lillie took a whiskey bottle from the small liquor cabinet in the kitchen, then started a pot of coffee That involved first grinding beans, a production Barbie lacked the patience to bother with

"So, tell me what happened," Lillie said when she’d made two Irish coffees She sat on the stool at the counter next to Barbie and they silently toasted each other with the ain"

Her mother nodded "The man you met at the theater"

"Yes" She hadn’t told Lillie ood reason As soon as her mother learned he was in a wheelchair, she’d find a dozen reasons to dissuade her fro him

Barbie already knew a relationship with Mark wouldn’t be easy She’d done her hoics on the Internet Even his anger with the world wasn’t unusual Until this evening, she’d assumed she was prepared to deal with it Apparently not

Lillie gestured for Barbie to continue "And…"

"And he…he isn’t interested"

Lillie cast her a look of disbelief "That can’t be true You’re gorgeous, young, acco with him?"

"Not really" A half truth

"He’s not…"

"No, Mother, he’s not gay Or married" Barbie wondered how much more she should explain

Lillie studied her and raised one elegantly curved eyebrow "What aren’t you telling ht through her prevarication

Lillie’s voice grew gentler "What is it, honey?"

Barbie sighed "If I tell you, I’e me, and I don’t think I could bear that just now"