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           "Onceagain,MissO’Neill,mydeepestregrets."

           Thereceiverclicked,begantheinterminableburrofthedialtone.Justinesatonthefloorandletitslipintoherlap.Therewasamistake,itwouldallsortitselfout.Danedrowned,whenheswamlikeachampion?No,itwasn’ttrue.Butitis,Justine,youknowitis,youdidn’tgowithhimtoprotecthimandhedrowned.Youwerehisprotectorfromthetimehewasababyandyoushouldhavebeenthere.Ifyoucouldn’tsavehim,youshouldhavebeentheretodrownwithhim.Andtheonlyreasonyoudidn’tgowithhimwasbecauseyouwantedtobeinLondonsoyoucouldgetRaintomakelovetoyou.

           Thinkingwassohard.Everythingwassohard.Nothingseemedtowork,notevenherlegs.Shecouldn’tgetup,shewouldnevergetupagain.TherewasnoroominhermindforanyonebutDane,andherthoughtswentinever-diminishingcirclesaroundDane.Untilshethoughtofhermother,theDroghedapeople.Oh,God.Thenewswouldcomethere,cometoher,cometothem.Mumdidn’tevenhavethelovelylastsightofhisfaceinRome.They’llsendthecabletotheGillypolice,Isuppose,andoldSergeantErnwillclimbintohiscaranddriveoutallthemilestoDrogheda,totellmymotherthatheronlysonisdead.Nottherightmanforthejob,andanalmost-stranger.Mrs.O’Neill,mydeepest,mostheartfeltregrets,yoursonisdead.Perfunctory,courteous,emptywords…No!Ican’tletthemdothattoher,nottoher,sheismymother,too!Notthatway,notthewayIhadtohearit.