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"Don’t know The card’s addressed to you," one of her eerly she reed out the card Mark had written his naether with a short note This ti day had finally co home after nearly afacility According to her physicians, the heart surgery had been a coood years left

Certainly Anne Marie had noticed a definite iain et ho at breakfast, Ellen talked incessantly about ot ho Anne Marie could hear her telling Baxter that she’d visit him soon Ellen had hi hide-and-seek with his tennis ball--a few tiet," she told hihborhood "Rerandmother’s been very sick," she cautioned her

"I knoon’t do anything to upset her," Ellen proer seat, the dog on her lap "You can come see Baxter whenever you want," she said

"Can I see you, too?"

"Of course"

"Will you still be my Lunch Buddy?"

Ellen must’ve asked the same questions ten ti released "Of course," she said again

"Goody" And then as if she’d al important, Ellen added breathlessly, "What about Lillie and Barbie and Mrs Beauaret and Susannah and Theresa?" she asked "Will I be able to visit theed" Her friends and neighbors didn’t know yet that Ellen was randmother As soon as they heard, they’d send their love to Ellen, and to Dolores

"I’ll still knit every day," Ellen assured her She had a knitting bag now, the sa as she was, the child had proven to be an adept knitter

"Me, too," Anne Marie said She’d finished the lap robe for Dolores earlier and had given it to her during their most recent visit; she’d completed Melissa’s baby blanket, as well For her third project she planned to knit Ellen a sweater and had chosen a siirl had picked out a soft rose-colored yarn Ellen orking on a pair of mittens She wanted to knit Anne Marie a sweater but Lydia had wisely suggested she knit one for Baxter first and then try a larger project Ellen had agreed

As she neared the street where Dolores lived, Anne Marie exahborhood more closely than she had before It consisted of mostly older homes, many of the if this was a safe place for Ellen--or Dolores for that matter

It’d been weeks since she’d seen the Falk home, which seemed even shabbier and more run-do that she really looked at it The front porch tilted, indicating the foundation had eroded on one side The roof had a plastic tarp over part of it Funny, Anne Marie hadn’t noticed that before The yard needed some serious attention; the flower beds sprouted weeds and a lone rosebush struggled for survival, choked off by the encroaching lawn A pang went through Anne Marie at leaving Ellen here Yet, this was her horandroceries" Before heading over to Dolores’s house, Anne Marie and Ellen had picked up some necessities She didn’t think Dolores would be up to a trip to the grocery store anytireed She’d already put Baxter in the back and unfastened her seat belt

With a smile, Anne Marie watched Ellen dash out of the car and fly across the yard She threw open the front door, then barreled inside By the tirandmother’s arms, both of them a little teary For an instant Anne Marie felt like an intruder

Dolores Falk looked up at Anne Marie "I can’t thank you enough for taking care of lad to do it," Anne Marie said sirand to be my Lunch Buddy and she said I can see Baxter anytiht ht after dinner when I’m finishedat least a dozen times The child was more ani away frorandmother, Ellen raced toward the hallway "I want to see my room!"

"I didn’t have an actual bed for her at my place," Anne Marie explained "She slept on a pull-out sofa" She wished now that she’d purchased a bed for Ellen, but it hadn’t seeical at the tiirl would be with her a full ued, Dolores sank into her recliner "I’ to h it ould see roo my clothes in now?"

"Sounds like a plan," Anne Marie said briskly For a roceries "We got a few things we thought you’d need for the first couple of days," she told Dolores "Enough to last until you can get to the grocery store"

Dolores seeed off her appreciation and, with Ellen at her side, returned to her vehicle Baxter, lying in the backseat, didn’t seem pleased to be left out of the action

"Can I take Baxter for a walk?" Ellen asked as she pressed her nose to the car

"Help me first and then you can take him Just be sure his leash is secure"

"Okay"

They collected Ellen’s various bags, unloaded the groceries and brought everything inside Anne Marie sorted through the cartons of etables, cereal, cheese and bread, and organized theically as she could so Dolores wouldn’t have any proble else I can do for you?" she asked Dolores once Ellen had co

"No, no--you’ve done far ht to ask"