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           I’lllookafterallthat."

           Wewerequietawhileanddidnottalk.CatherinewassittingonthebedandIwaslookingatherbutwedidnottoucheachother.Wewereapartaswhensomeonecomesintoaroomandpeopleareself-conscious.Sheputoutherhandandtookmine.

           "Youaren’tangryareyou,darling?"

           "No."

           "Andyoudon’tfeeltrapped?"

           "Maybealittle.Butnotbyyou."

           "Ididn’tmeanbyme.Youmustn’tbestupid.Imeanttrappedatall."

           "Youalwaysfeeltrappedbiologically."

           Shewentawayalongwaywithoutstirringorremovingherhand.

           "‘Always’isn’taprettyword."

           "I’msorry."

           "It’sallright.ButyouseeI’veneverhadababyandI’veneverevenlovedanyone.AndI’vetriedtobethewayyouwantedandthenyoutalkabout‘always.’"

           "Icouldcutoffmytongue,"Ioffered.

           "Oh,darling!"shecamebackfromwherevershehadbeen."Youmustn’tmindme."Wewerebothtogetheragainandtheself-consciousnesswasgone."Wereallyarethesameoneandwemustn’tmisunderstandonpurpose."

           "Wewon’t."

           "Butpeopledo.Theyloveeachotherandtheymisunderstandonpurposeandtheyfightandthensuddenlytheyaren’tthesameone."

           "Wewon’tfight."

           "Wemustn’t.Becausethere’sonlyustwoandintheworldthere’salltherestofthem.Ifanythingcomesbetweenuswe’regoneandthentheyhaveus."

           "Theywon’tgetus,"Isaid."Becauseyou’retoobrave.Nothingeverhappenstothebrave."

           "Theydieofcourse."

           "Butonlyonce."