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"What should we do?"

So an eus and we had to accept that, just as she did But how could we not care about her?

Brad frowned "Should I see if she’ll talk to otten anywhere, I didn’t think he would either, but that was no reason not to try After all, Brad was the one who’d devoted hours to teaching her about fractions

"Let me try," Cody piped up "Me and Chase," he said in all seriousness

Brad turned to estured helplessly

"It can’t hurt"

"Okay, son," Brad said "See what you can do"

Cody nodded "Come, Chase," he commanded "Casey needs us"

The two of them trotted down the hallway to Casey’s bedroom Cody knocked, then opened the door and went inside Brad and I waited My fear was that Casey would screa it, I sat on the edge of my cushion, ready to hurry to his rescue if the need arose Probably tenlike a hundred If Cody and Casey were talking, I couldn’t hear their voices I strained to listen and heard nothing

"What do you suppose is happening in there?" Brad asked He looked as tense as I felt

"I don’t have a clue"

Finally, just when I was about to investigate on my own, Casey’s bedroom door opened "Mom," Cody yelled, as if I was in the basement instead of one room away "Do we have any ice cream?" He made it sound like a call to 9-1-1

"I believe so," I said as calmly as I could

"We need tls, okay?"

"Tls coain "What about chocolate syrup?"

"Ah…I’ll check"

Brad was on his feet, too "I’ll make a quick run to the store if necessary"

I was already in the kitchen, investigating the cupboard where I knew I’d f ind chocolate syrup if we had any "Got it," I called out triumphantly

"Good" Cody’s voice was relieved "Hurry, okay?"

"In a ether, Brad and I quickly prepared two heaping bowls of vanilla ice crea the chocolate, I asked, "Should I look for whipped topping?"

Brad shook his head "I don’t think so"

Each of us carrying a boe approached the closed bedroom door

Brad knocked and turned the knob We stepped inside, holding out the ice creaold and precious jewels

Casey sat on the bed with her back to the wall Cody was sitting there, too, and Chase lay between them Casey’s hand was on his fur, which she strokedeye contact with either Brad or me

"Thanks, Mom and Dad," Cody said

We’d been dis roo and Brad turned on the TV We were halfway through an episode of CSI: Mia two eht in there?" Brad asked Cody nodded "Ice creaely, "but it sure helps with the pain" He brought the bowls to the kitchen

"Who told hiaret or Alix"

"You hang around oree "You in the mood for ice cream?" I asked

"Why not? It seems to work"

We smiled at each other A crisis had been averted After a while Casey came out of her room with her crochet hook and a skein of yarn under one arm "I need help with this,"

she said, as if the events of this evening had never occurred

"Okay" I certainly wasn’t an expert at crocheting but I could read the directions If not, I could always contact my sister Casey sat on the sofa beside me "I think I made a mistake here" She held it out for me to examine

I studied the washcloth she’d started and didn’t f ind anything wrong "It looks f ine to ht want to have Margaret check it tomorrow"

Her eyes f lew up to ain? You don’t have to pay s that need your attention and of course I’ll pay you"

I could see she was pleased, although she tried to hide it

"That would be okay, I guess" I realized she didn’t wantat the yarn store That attitude always caughtwhat she valued most Wasn’t that exactly what Alix had warned me about?