11

           Thenextmorningatbreakfast,Elliesawthenewmemoonthebulletinboardandaskedhimwhatitmeant.

           "Itmeanshe’sgoingtohaveaverysmalloperation,"Louissaid."He’llprobablyhavetostayoveratthevet’sforonenightafterward.Andwhenhecomeshome,he’llstayinouryardandnotwanttoroamaroundsomuch."

           "Orcrosstheroad?"Ellieasked.

           Shemaybeonlyfive,Louisthought,butshe’ssurenoslouch."Orcrosstheroad,"heagreed.

           "Yay!"Elliesaid,andthatwastheendofthesubject.

           Louis,whohadbeenpreparedforabitterandperhapshystericalargumentaboutChurchbeingoutofthehouseforevenonenight,wasmildlystunnedbytheeasewithwhichshehadacquiesced.Andherealizedhowworriedshemusthavebeen.PerhapsRachelhadnotbeenentirelywrongabouttheeffectthePetSemataryhadhadonher.

           Rachelherself,whowasfeedingGagehisbreakfastegg,shothimagratefulapprovinglook,andLouisfeltsomethinglooseninhischest.Thelooktoldhimthatthechillwasover;thisparticularhatchethadbeenburied.Forever,hehoped.

           Later,afterthebigyellowschoolbushadgobbledEllieupforthemorning,Rachelcametohim,putherarmsaroundhisneck,andkissedhismouthgently."Youwereverysweettodothat,"shesaid,"andI’msorryIwassuchabitch."

           Louisreturnedherkiss,feelingalittleuncomfortablenonetheless.