Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

I placed Destiny in a chair near the bed and

slept comfortably up to the night before. when I had

been troubled about selling off Uncle Palaver's motor

home, and now I feared I'd be tossing and turning

most of the night again.

"Stop all this worrying," my voice thrown

through Destiny told me. "What will be will be," I finally fell asleep. Echo was very curious

about where I was going and why right after

breakfast. When she learned I was meeting my sister,

her face filled with concern. Even though she was

going off to school, she had harbored the belief I was

remaining behind to live with her grandmother.

Neither Mrs. Westington nor I had spent any time

telling her that. Most likely I would be leaving, too. Later. Echo stepped out on the porch to watch

me drive away. She looked so sad I was tempted not

to go. I signed I would be back soon and she smiled

and waved. I looked at her in my rearview mirror and

saw she didn't go back inside until I was turning out

of the driveway.

Our lives are filled with so many good-byes. I

thought. There were good-byes to our parents and

grandparents, of course, and good-byes to our other loved ones, but we also said good-bye to ourselves, to our youth especially. As I drove to the San Francisco airport to meet Brenda. I did feel older, almost battle weary, a scarred veteran of wars, toughened, perhaps more cynical, but certainly more self-confident. It was

something Brenda saw immediately.

She came walking out of the gate to meet me

and paused for a moment, her eyes blinking as though

she had to be sure she was looking at me before

continuing. She had her knapsack on her and carried a

small athletic bag. She, too, looked different to me.

She had her hair cut the same way and she looked to

be the same weight, but she wasn't as tall and