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           "Yeah,Bella?"

           "Um,IjustwantedtoletyouknowthatI’mgoingtoSeattleforthedayaweekfromSaturday...ifthat’sokay?"Ididn’twanttoaskpermission-itsetabadprecedent-butIfeltrude,soItackeditonattheend.

           "Why?"Hesoundedsurprised,asifhewereunabletoimaginesomethingthatForkscouldn’toffer.

           "Well,Iwantedtogetfewbooks-thelibraryhereisprettylimited-andmaybelookatsomeclothes."IhadmoremoneythanIwasusedtohaving,since,thankstoCharlie,Ihadn’thadtopayforacar.Notthatthetruckdidn’tcostmequiteabitinthegasdepartment.

           "Thattruckprobablydoesn’tgetverygoodgasmileage,"hesaid,echoingmythoughts.

           "Iknow,I’llstopinMontesanoandOlympia-andTacomaifIhaveto."

           "Areyougoingallbyyourself?"heasked,andIcouldn’ttellifhewassuspiciousIhadasecretboyfriendorjustworriedaboutcartrouble.

           "Yes."

           "Seattleisabigcity-youcouldgetlost,"hefretted.

           "Dad,PhoenixisfivetimesthesizeofSeattle-andIcanreadamap,don’tworryaboutit."

           "Doyouwantmetocomewithyou?"

           ItriedtobecraftyasIhidmyhorror.

           "That’sallright,Dad,I’llprobablyjustbeindressingroomsallday-veryboring."

           "Oh,okay."Thethoughtofsittinginwomen’sclothingstoresforany

           periodoftimeimmediatelyputhimoff.

           "Thanks."Ismiledathim.

           "Willyoubebackintimeforthedance?"

           Grrr.Onlyinatownthissmallwouldafatherknowwhenthehighschooldanceswere.

           "No-Idon’tdance,Dad.