Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

promising she'll always be right beside her. It's

probably going to be her first plane trip."

"You understood all that?"

"Bits and pieces, enough to figure it out." "Maybe you found yourself a career." Brenda

said with a look of admiration.

I shrugged. "Maybe. What I did learn was

people with good hearing don't always listen to each

other as much as people without any hearing at all

do."

She tilted her head, "Yeah," she said. "I want to

meet this old lady."

"I'll arrange it," I called after her. "But you

better not call her an old lady."

She turned and laughed and in that moment. I

saw my father and my mother standing beside her, the

same smile on their faces. and I remembered what

Mrs. Westington first told me about how your loved

ones who have gone could still be watching over you:

"They do their best to watch over us and lead us to

happiness."

Why can't it be true? I thought.

Epilogue

. I had mixed feelings about still being there to accompany Echo to her school. I could feel the way she was torn, looking back at us and then looking at the school and all it promised to be for her. She hugged and held on to me as if she believed she would never see me again. I promised I would be back. I explained that for one thing. I had to be back for the upcoming trials.

Tyler came out of the building and escorted her in and helped her are settled. It obviously made a huge difference. After he got her settled in, he and I walked back to the parking lot while Mrs. Westington remained with Echo to help her unpack her things.

"She'll be fine here," he said. "I know, I t's just hard for Mrs. Westington. It's like bringing your child t

o her first day of school."

"Well, it is her first day, really. So, you're headed up to Seattle then?"

"Yes. My sister's getting me enrolled in the school there. Thanks for helping me with the equivalency preparation. I'm sure it will come in handy when I'm actually in classes."

"I expect it will. You'll be a good student." he said, slipping into his cool, evaluative manner. He realized it immediately and smiled. "Drop me a line when you can and let me know how you're doing."

"I will and you write back. too."