Misplaced (64 page)

The
far
end
of
the
kitchen
w
as
lined
with
windows,
in
front
o
f
whic
h
sa
t
a
do
v
e
g
re
y
sofa
.
Th
e
arom
a
o
f
ci
g
ar
s
lin
g
ered
here,
where
V
ictoria
guessed
Celeste
spent
much
of
her
time.
In
front
of
the
couch,
a
coffee
table
laden
with
books,
stacks
of
letters
,
an
d
catalog
s
o
f
bulb
s
an
d
seed
s
caugh
t
V
ictoria’
s
e
y
e.
A
v
ariety
of
boxes
of
flo
w
ery
stationary
w
ere
scattered
across
the
cushions,
and
on
the
wooden
floor
in
front
of
the
sofa
lay
a
wide-brimmed
straw
hat
and
a
pair
of
pink
gardening
glo
v
es
next
to
a
large
pet
bed.
The
low
ceiling
w
as
bedecked
with
at
least
a
hundred
crystals
of
different
sizes
and
colors,
hanging
from
v
arying lengths of fishing
line.

Celest
e
returne
d
an
d
lai
d
a
phot
o
face-dow
n
o
n
th
e
narrow
counter
.
“I’
m
goin
g
t
o
le
t
th
e
do
g
ou
t
now
,
s
o
w
atc
h
yoursel
v
es.”
Sh
e
opene
d
th
e
doo
r
t
o
a
smal
l
w
ashroo
m
fro
m
whic
h
a
huge
Germa
n
shepher
d
appeared
.
“This,
”
Celest
e
pronounced
,
as
thoug
h
introducin
g
ro
y
alty
,
“i
s
Shamrock.”

V
i
c
t
o
ria
ba
c
ked
up
again
s
t
the
w
all,
but
Khara
knelt
c
l
os
e
to
the
dog.
Shamrock
put
her
paw
in
Khara’s
hand
as
if
they
w
ere
ol
d
friends
.
Afte
r
noticin
g
th
e
dog’
s
peculia
r
side
w
ay
s
w
alk,
Khara asked, “What happened to her?”

“I
’
ll
ne
v
er
know.
She
w
ent
outside
fit
as
a
fiddle
one
night
and
came
home
like
that.
It
could
ha
v
e
been
one
of
the
cows;
she
chased
them
enough.
Since
then,
she’s
had
more
surgeries
tha
n
Michae
l
Jackson
.
M
y
v
e
t
keep
s
tellin
g
m
e
t
o
pu
t
he
r
down,
but
I
can’t
e
v
en
think
of
it.
W
e
’
re
quite
the
pair,
aren’t
w
e?”
she
asked as she lovingly ran her hand o
v
er the dog’s head.

Khar
a
whispere
d
i
n
Shamrock’
s
ear
,
an
d
th
e
do
g
lo
w
ered
her head as if ashamed.
“It
w
as
not
a
cow,”
she
reported.
“She
chased
a
squirrel
across the road and
w
as hit by a car.”

Celeste
obser
v
ed
Khara
with
a
half-smile,
and
then
turned
he
r
attentio
n
t
o
V
ictoria
.
“
I
almos
t
forgot
.
Isn’
t
thi
s
you?”
sh
e
asked
,
handin
g
th
e
phot
o
t
o
her
.
Be
a
smile
d
a
t
he
r
from
tha
t
long-ag
o
graduatio
n
da
y
a
s
the
y
stoo
d
wit
h
thei
r
arms
aroun
d
eac
h
other
.
“
I
loo
k
a
t
thes
e
picture
s
al
l
th
e
time
.
Just
this
morning,
in
fact,”
she
declared,
scratching
her
head.
“
W
ell,
it
might
ha
v
e
been
y
esterday
or
maybe
last
month.
Any
w
ay,
I
aske
d
mysel
f
wha
t
fat
e
ha
d
befalle
n
thi
s
dark-haire
d
beauty,
and here you are.”

“D
o
yo
u
belie
v
e
tha
t
e
v
erythin
g
happen
s
fo
r
a
reason?
”
Khara queried, her arms around the dog’s neck.

“
I
mos
t
certainl
y
do.
”
Celeste’
s
e
y
e
s
reste
d
briefl
y
o
n
Khara,
an
d
the
n
w
en
t
bac
k
t
o
V
ictoria
.
“No
w
it’
s
tim
e
yo
u
girl
s
told
me
what
you
’
re
doing
on
my
porch
in
the
middle
of
the
night.”
By
the
time
they
finished
their
story,
sun
w
as
pouring
into
the
room,
the
cocoa
w
as
long
gone,
and
they
w
ere
bleary-e
y
ed
with exhaustion.

“
T
h
e
c
abi
n
i
s
o
u
t
th
e
kit
c
he
n
doo
r
an
d
a
c
r
os
s
th
e
gar
d
en
.
I
t
’
s
a
bit
on
the
rustic
side,
but
comfortable.
I
should
know;
when
th
e
stair
s
ge
t
to
o
difficul
t
fo
r
me
,
I
mo
v
e
ther
e
unti
l
I
ge
t
m
y
strength
back.
Or
sometimes
Emma
brings
lo
v
ers
home,
and
I
can’
t
stan
d
th
e
noise
.
Tha
t
littl
e
hussy,
”
Celest
e
commente
d
and
shoo
k
he
r
head
.
“Sh
e
didn’
t
bothe
r
comin
g
hom
e
las
t
night
.
See
if she gets any tuna when she finally
does show up.”