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           Ididn’tthinkyou’dwanttorunthewholeway."

           "Wheredoyoukeepthisthing?"

           "Weremodeledoneoftheoutbuildingsintoagarage."

           "Aren’tyougoingtoputonyourseatbelt?"

           Hethrewmeadisbelievinglook.

           Thensomethingsunkin.

           "Runthewholeway?Asin,we’restillgoingtorunpartoftheway?"Myvoiceedgedupafewoctaves.

           Hegrinnedtightly."You’renotgoingtorun."

           "I’mgoingtobesick."

           "Keepyoureyesclosed,you’llbefine."

           Ibitmylip,fightingthepanic.

           Heleanedovertokissthetopofmyhead,andthengroaned.Ilookedathim,puzzled.

           "Yousmellsogoodintherain,"heexplained.

           "Inagoodway,orinabadway?"Iaskedcautiously.

           Hesighed."Both,alwaysboth."

           Idon’tknowhowhefoundhiswayinthegloomanddownpour,buthesomehowfoundasideroadthatwaslessofaroadandmoreofamountain

           path.Foralongwhileconversationwasimpossible,becauseIwasbouncingupanddownontheseatlikeajackhammer.Heseemedtoenjoytheride,though,smilinghugelythewholeway.

           Andthenwecametotheendoftheroad;thetreesformedgreenwallsonthreesidesoftheJeep.Therainwasameredrizzle,slowingeverysecond,theskybrighterthroughtheclouds.

           "Sorry,Bella,wehavetogoonfootfromhere."

           "Youknowwhat?I’lljustwaithere."

           "Whathappenedtoallyourcourage?Youwereextraordinarythismorning."

           "Ihaven’tforgottenthelasttimeyet."Couldithavebeenonlyyesterday?

           Hewasaroundtomysideofthecarinablur.Hestartedunbucklingme.

           "I’llgetthose,yougoonahead,"Iprotested.