look in her eyes. He nodded. ?I saw Kate?s car outside. Is she in
your room??
?She is,? he said with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. ?That?s why
I was on the couch.?
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?You?re not on the couch anymore,? Helen observed innocently.
Jerry paused at his bedroom door and turned to face her.
?Are you going to be okay with this?? he asked seriously.
Helen knew that if she said it bothered her he would turn right
around and spend the rest of the night alone.
?Dad. I?ve never been more okay with anything in my life,? Helen
said honestly. She went into her room and closed the door firmly
behind her to let him know that she was going to give him some
privacy.
Helen heard her dad wake Kate up and let her know that
everything was okay, and then turned to tear up the note she had
left on her desk. She flew out her window to meet Lucas on the
widow?s walk.
?Did you hear all that?? she asked when she saw the sympathetic
look on his face.
?Does it bother you?? He took the sleeping bag from the chest
and spread it out for both of them to sit on.
?No,? she said, shaking her head. ?I would have told you, anyway.
Somehow, it?s like whatever I?m going through hasn?t happened to
me until you know about it.?
?I know what you mean,? he whispered.
They sat down next to each other on the edge of the widow?s
walk, their thighs threaded between the bars of the railing and
their feet dangling off the side of the house.
?It?s Monday. We?ve got school in a few hours,? Helen said. ?I