CHAPTER 1
Approximately: 15 Pages
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Friday Evening
As Lucy climbed out of the pickup, a gust of bitter wind set her hair flying
around her. She grabbed at it, wrapping the
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CHAPTER 2
Approximately: 11 Pages
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A Tough Night
As soon as Lucy opened the door, Uncle Bob called, "That you, Sister?" He
turned his weathered face toward her, sharp with concern.
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CHAPTER 3
Approximately: 4 Pages
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And A Tough Morning
It was half past two in the morning when Normalade woke her.
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CHAPTER 4
Approximately: 7 Pages
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The Baby
They had driven about ten miles when Normalade's hand closed on Lucy's wrist,
wet and cold as a little ice cube. "S-stop the truck."
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CHAPTER 5
Approximately: 9 Pages
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What's In A Name
When Lucy woke, it was almost noon, and the house was full of voices.
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CHAPTER 6
Approximately: 13 Pages
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Swan
While Lucy was in the kitchen, Bobby and Tagg came downstairs, groaning and
holding their heads and laughing at each other. They came over and looked
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CHAPTER 7
Approximately: 8 Pages
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The Other Brother
For the second day in a row, Lucy was late to work. Six o'clock, and on a
Saturday, too.
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CHAPTER 8
Approximately: 5 Pages
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Swan Comes To Work
When Lucy reentered the bar from the kitchen, Bobby had vanished, and Swan
was coming in with Tagg right behind her.
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CHAPTER 9
Approximately: 4 Pages
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Things That Move In The Night
All told, it had been a long day. Lucy had been up most of the night, they'd
had company all afternoon, and Saturday nights were always busy. And willing
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CHAPTER 10
Approximately: 4 Pages
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More Night Visions
Lucy had just begun to doze when a door slammed upstairs, and soon afterwards,
somebody came banging down the steps and into the living room.
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CHAPTER 11
Approximately: 13 Pages
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Charles White, The Beer Man
Weekdays, Lucy opened up for lunch from eleven-thirty to one, because every
little bit helped.
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CHAPTER 12
Approximately: 5 Pages
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Cowboy Bob Says No
Uncle Bob's eyes flashed. "Slot machines? Lotteries? Why don't we just move
to Las Vegas, and set up a roulette table in the kitchen!"
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CHAPTER 13
Approximately: 7 Pages
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Snow
That night Lucy dreamed of her mother.
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CHAPTER 14
Approximately: 6 Pages
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A Red Rose
They sat around the kitchen table drinking coffee until noontime.
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CHAPTER 15
Approximately: 7 Pages
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After Midnight
She woke suddenly. What was happening?
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CHAPTER 16
Approximately: 5 Pages
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Thinking About Dreams
When Lucy woke, she was alone.
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CHAPTER 17
Approximately: 6 Pages
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6 A.m. More About Dreams
When Lucy got back to the house, Uncle Bob was calling loudly, and Normalade
was standing at the head of the stairs, wild-eyed from having waked suddenly,
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CHAPTER 18
Approximately: 5 Pages
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Tom Tagg
Trail Road was half mud, and Lucy had to pay close attention to not getting stuck.
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CHAPTER 19
Approximately: 3 Pages
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Bertie Muddies The Water
When Lucy got to Clive's garage, she found him and Bertie and hanging over the
heater in their dingy little office, trying to keep warm.
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CHAPTER 20
Approximately: 10 Pages
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Swan Entertains
Strolling back and forth in the kitchen, Swan thought about how complicated and
painful her life was and wondered how she could manage to be so absurdly happy.
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CHAPTER 21
Approximately: 7 Pages
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Hot Chili
Lucy drove away feeling a cool wonder as to whether any of this was really real,
or whether it was only another episode of last night's dream.
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CHAPTER 22
Approximately: 14 Pages
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A Little Gossip And Some More About Chili
Sure enough, the chili was as good as Eustace Mallory had promised.
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CHAPTER 23
Approximately: 8 Pages
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Normalade Speaks For Herself
The TV was showing its test pattern, and Normalade was sound asleep on
the sofa when Lucy got home.
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CHAPTER 24
Approximately: 5 Pages
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You Stole My Chili
Lucy pushed the door open. "Uncle Bob?"
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CHAPTER 25
Approximately: 9 Pages
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Rosana's Garden
Lucy was in a dark place.
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CHAPTER 26
Approximately: 10 Pages
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When Lucy Woke Up
Lucy continued to sleep until a noise in the hall roused her.
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CHAPTER 27
Approximately: 4 Pages
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In The Night
She slept a while, rising to wakefulness now and then like a seal coming
up for air after a long dive, barely breaking the water, only to slide down again.
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CHAPTER 28
Approximately: 5 Pages
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In The Dark
When Lucy woke, it was still pitch dark, and the lights were still on in the
living room, but Bobby and Normalade had gone.
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CHAPTER 29
Approximately: 3 Pages
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Mrs. Ruiz
They say that habit dies hard.
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CHAPTER 30
Approximately: 9 Pages
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A Trip To Town
It was only a few minutes later that Lucy heard someone knocking at the front door and she looked out to see Swan standing on the dusty porch.
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CHAPTER 31
Approximately: 4 Pages
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Not Much Christmas
Christmas came and went, and it was not very different from any other day.
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CHAPTER 32
Approximately: 7 Pages
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The Beer Man Returns
Lucy went back to work the day before New Years.
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CHAPTER 33
Approximately: 5 Pages
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Swan Has A Suggestion
All afternoon, Lucy worried about how to tell Bobby. But unfortunately
Normalade kept him longer than usual that afternoon, and he came in late.
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CHAPTER 34
Approximately: 2 Pages
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Preparations Get Under Way
Lucy was surprised to see how excited everyone got about the party.
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CHAPTER 35
Approximately: 7 Pages
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Dust Storm
The Monday before Valentine's Day started with a blustery, brown morning
that promised a dust-storm by noon.
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CHAPTER 36
Approximately: 3 Pages
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A Little Music
Things were going to be all right after all, Lucy thought.
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CHAPTER 37
Approximately: 3 Pages
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The Power Of Song
Nobody spoke much after Gallatin had finished.
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CHAPTER 38
Approximately: 4 Pages
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Tuesday Morning
Lucy woke around daybreak, expecting him to be gone. And when she saw he was
still there, she thought it was the happiest moment of her life.
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CHAPTER 39
Approximately: 8 Pages
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Tuesday Evening
Tuesday morning was much like Monday; Lucy made breakfast four times, then
she cleaned, and then she fed everybody again.
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CHAPTER 40
Approximately: 9 Pages
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Tuesday Night
When Lucy got home, Gallatin was waiting for her, just as he had been last night.
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CHAPTER 41
Approximately: 9 Pages
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Valentine's Day
So she got up and made coffee. Set the table. Made breakfast. No matter what's
happening, people have to eat.
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CHAPTER 42
Approximately: 9 Pages
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The Party
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the place was full.
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CHAPTER 43
Approximately: 4 Pages
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Uncle Bob
Mrs. Panadero met them on the porch. "I don't know. Maybe I should not have
called you."
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CHAPTER 44
Approximately: 5 Pages
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Thursday Morning
Lucy slept about three hours. When she woke, it was daylight and a disheveled
Doc. Swerengen was just leaving. He had arrived only to pronounce Uncle Bob
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CHAPTER 45
Approximately: 11 Pages
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The Money
Friday was the funeral, and on Saturday Swan went in alone to open up.
But she'd hardly had time to get there before she was on the phone calling
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CHAPTER 46
Approximately: 3 Pages
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A Bus Ride
The bus rolled toward a horizon that paled from black to gray, to blue-grey.
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CHAPTER 47
Approximately: 9 Pages
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Hope And Despair
It was a long walk, and Lucy was tired by the time she found the address
she was looking for. And when she got there, the sight of it didn't make
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CHAPTER 48
Approximately: 9 Pages
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A Last Word With A Friend
Lucy went downstairs blindly and headed outdoors, some deep-rooted instinct
sending her toward light and fresh air.
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