Misplaced (66 page)

“I’
m
no
t
suite
d
fo
r
it,
”
V
ictori
a
ans
w
ered
,
coilin
g
he
r
hair
aroun
d
he
r
fingers—
a
lefto
v
e
r
fro
m
childhood
,
whe
n
she
’
d
seen
her
mother
do
the
same.
“
Y
ou
know,
the
whole
‘happily
e
v
er
afte
r
’ thing.”

“Promise
me
you
’
ll
try
it
before
you
decide.
After
my
first
surgery
,
h
e
left
.
I
thin
k
h
e
lo
v
e
d
m
e
to
o
muc
h
t
o
w
atc
h
me
suffer
.
O
f
cours
e
m
y
famil
y
didn’
t
agree
,
bu
t
a
wif
e
know
s
these
things.
E
v
en
today,
at
this
v
ery
moment,
if
I
needed
him,
he
’
d
come—new wife or not.”

“Y
ou
mean
he
w
alked
out
on
you
when
you
w
ere
in
need?”
V
ictoria
asked
angrily.
“I
should
think
you
would
hate
him!”
The
n
sh
e
too
k
a
dee
p
breath
.
“I’
m
sorry
;
it’
s
no
t
m
y
plac
e
to
say.”

“Oh
,
I
coul
d
ne
v
e
r
d
o
that,
”
Celest
e
assure
d
V
ictoria
,
he
r
crystal
e
y
es
clouded
with
sorrow.
“He
w
as
e
v
erything
to
me.”
She
reached
o
v
er
to
prune
a
withered
blossom
from
a
clump
of
carrot
y
nasturtiums
.
“On
e
da
y
he
’
l
l
forge
t
th
e
reaso
n
h
e
lef
t
and
come
w
alking through that door.”

“Y
ou
’
d take him back?”
V
ictoria asked, incredulous.

Cele
s
t
e
pat
t
e
d
V
i
c
t
o
ria
’
s
knee
.
“Spoke
n
lik
e
a
tru
e
c
yni
c
.
Y
oung
people
don’t
know
squat
about
lo
v
e.
But
enough
about
me.” She looked expectantly at
V
ictoria.

“M
y
life
?
W
ell
,
it’
s
abou
t
m
y
work
.
A
t
leas
t
i
t
w
as
,
unti
l
a
few
w
eeks ago.”

“Ca
n
Khar
a
reall
y
b
e
wh
o
sh
e
say
s
sh
e
is?
”
Celeste
questioned.
“
Y
ou
don’t
seem
like
the
type
who
takes
much
at
face
v
alue.”

“I
didn’t
belie
v
e
her
at
first;
who
in
their
right
mind
would?
Bu
t
th
e
peculia
r
occurrence
s
tha
t
see
m
t
o
follo
w
he
r
ha
ve
convinced me.”

Celest
e
laughed
.
“
An
d
peopl
e
sa
y
I’
m
eccentric
!
I
thought
yo
u
tw
o
w
er
e
pullin
g
m
y
leg
,
whic
h
woul
d
b
e
rathe
r
crue
l
since
I only ha
v
e one good one left.”

“Maybe
w
e shouldn’t ha
v
e come.”

“Nonsense.
The
two
of
you
are
w
elcome
to
stay
as
long
as
you
w
ant.
Y
ou
’
re safe here.”

“I
nee
d
t
o
le
t
m
y
offic
e
kno
w
wher
e I
am
. I
ha
v
e
appointments,
and
my
clients
count
on
me.
I’m
assuming
you
ha
v
e Internet access?

“Ne
v
er
used
a
computer
in
my
life;
don’t
intend
to,
either,”
sh
e
bragged
.
“
Y
o
u
coul
d
us
e
th
e
one
s
a
t
th
e
publi
c
librar
y
in
town, though.

“Imagine,”
she
mused,
staring
deeply
into
the
forest,
“what
Car
l
woul
d
sa
y
i
f
h
e
kne
w
tha
t
fat
e
ha
d
brough
t
a
fugiti
v
e
Egyptia
n
princes
s
t
o
ou
r
home?
”
Sh
e
picke
d
a
w
ee
d
fro
m
bet
w
ee
n
th
e
crack
s
i
n
th
e
ston
e
path
w
ay
.
“
I
don’
t
consider
mysel
f
a
bona-fid
e
clairvo
y
ant
,
bu
t
I
d
o
experienc
e
‘insights’
from time to time.”

V
ictoria
took
a
long
breath
and
prepared
for
one
more
step
down the rabbit hole.

“
W
ell
,
aren’
t
yo
u
curious?
”
Celest
e
demanded
.
“
I
could
interpret your aura.”

“I
’
d
be
afraid
to
know.
Things
ha
v
e
gotten
so
out
of
control
lately.”

“Lon
g
afte
r
you
r
las
t
great-grandchil
d
i
s
born
,
you
’
l
l
stil
l
remember the excitement of these days. Relish them,
V
ictoria.”