George&Sarah

云清

a enjoyed. a signage. He'd seventeen. days, guys. that, a friends. didn't a team. to. holiday. a a week.

  {& F( u" @" [+ H: a' n: RHowever, go, a wasn't them. mind. away. toast. a door. door, a doorstep, guard. down. hand, a accident. disbelief, him. days, a visitors, officials, hadn't ages.

A funeral, a solicitor. off, paid, a him. nineteen, a again. life, alone.

0 }6 L- b9 _, ~$ AThen, off.

Now, forty, time. ago, a relish. inheritance, lifestyle, life. a house. wished, newspaper. 9:00 precisely, & Post.

shift, a ponytail.

  K. u2 w& e: m) B8 `8 mShe'd door, a being. opposite.
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He'd a a newspaper. He'd a note. she'd answer. pushed. a challenge, a overcome. months, he'd a a him. She'd weather, gossip, milk. today, changed. shop, froze. wasn't there. Instead, counter, a newspaper. counter.
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  F$ o4 P, {& Y$ n2 o  O* P* E- D& w"Three fifty," grunted, him. counter. home, a weight. routine. armchair, wasn't there. sick? job? He'd everything, over. hunched. didn't matter, didn't matter. himself. door, a knot. dropped. counter.
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"Morning, George. yesterday, I mum. a fall." up.

"Three fifty, please." hand, note. hers, a him.
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"What's wrong, George?" mouth. "I... I missed," managed. broke. widened. "I you, too, George," whispered.
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% `) p& H8 u  W7 Q* k0 Z% y"You know," quietly. hand, "Of here, you're a morning. nice." there, time.
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7 g! V: w5 _$ j  `7 f" v- R1 e"See tomorrow, George." morning, counter. "Morning, George. It's a today. freezer?"

5 e* I3 c1 n8 w"Not today," said, a time. paused, a breath. "Maybe I biscuits." a small, her.
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+ N: S! c2 w4 j* }"They're lovely, George," said, change. "Have a I'll tomorrow." nodded, home. strictly, cup. he'd her. conversational. them. A unnerving.

"Good morning, George. biscuits?" eye. "They nice, you, Sarah." Thursday, a ago. didn't tea, investigate. rack, headlines, display.

2 W6 D% ~3 g8 A( Q8 G1 p* `! z"Do a hand, George?"

"No. Just..." hesitated, "comparing headlines."

"Ok," said, counter. "Well, shelf. It's a aroma." a nod, paper, tea. retreated. days, same, elsewhere. morning, a shop. window, arrived. "Oh, George, it," said, him. "Honestly, I this." newspaper, a small, rack:

& C; i5 S3 z2 E  K0 y* ASALE: 10 a tin.
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: W8 F1 \) X2 L: N! k"Great choice," counter, "It's a this." items. "That'll twenty, please, George," said. a a bars, counter. froze. leave. could, a his.

8 Q! W  w, `9 i% f( e"It's ok, George," said. "Accidents happen. You're over." rack. newspaper. him, him.
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% n  f! Q$ L2 c3 b; @0 N4 y9 F"Are today?" money. "Yes," said, tea. "I will. I a brighter, Sarah." widened. "It a warmer. tomorrow, George." kitchen, tea. described. a a saucer, room. armchair, lap, a tea. wasn't fine. comforting. a day. a her. something. knew, instance, a worn, small, lists. him. a woman?
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0 W; @9 `' B8 ^' f, B1 cA later, shop's wasn't on. phone, a speaker.

"What radio?" asked.
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# e( ]( g7 C: u! \+ s"It's up," sighed. "It's ages." spoke, a mind. A loft. A a case. hadn't years. a didn't anymore. arm, home. radio, back. up. radio, that, ladder. a breath, down, place. didn't rush, for. a worked. Finally, string. morning, shop, chest.

"Morning, George! miracles," beamed. "You're early." counter. rose. "What's this? Recycling?" her. "Your broken. works." paper, him. "You me?"

"I didn't it. Dad's. I've a time." paper. a breath.
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"It's wood. Teak. good."

1 J. v5 ]! _6 x2 ?! \  x" A"It's beautiful," said, up.
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"They don't anymore." bright. "And you've time? it?"
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"I go," said.
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: F& }; A  E* B1 p; ~! ?& D& x"Thank much," said, thick. "That's lovely, George." one. on, play.

) U+ M1 Q: P, n  s2 a, f3 ?"It's a station," said. "Feel to." a shop. "No, I I'll it," said, radio. "It here." week, a warm, music. a it. Monday, silent. counter, flustered, knob. "Good morning, George. I'm sorry. I couldn't properly. I'm happened. It's now."

"It's old, patience," said, "can I radio?"

"Of can." radio. station, a slow, twist. again.

5 g$ n/ u' h/ c8 P& a8 J' R1 Q. l"There," said. "It's now." a moment, radio.

"Thank you, George," said, arm. "You've touch." a neck. "It's a tuning," simply.
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"Well, it's I do," laughed, counter. "I broken."
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"It's you're to," her. "It a finesse." smiled. "I'll that. Finesse. Right." a note. change, door, him.
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"Hey, George? a sec." a stool. "If up, a bit, this," a smile. "Think station." stool. "Thank you, Sarah." mornings, empty. Friday, a aisle. blockedthem. driver, a man, sweating, up. "Sorry, mate, minutes." counter. "I'm sorry, George, late," stool. "Here, a minute, please." stool. narrow. him.

% T) d" X) D1 n"Thank you," said. cleared, didn't immediately. a her. Eventually, though, arm, home. weeks, quiet, he'd a longer. They'd talk. he'd years. Tuesday, a small, photograph. a table. "It's a radio," said, counter. "I a light."
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6 x4 H" _  {; i"Thank you, George, that's you."

A later, till. "Morning, George." paid, a a ribbon. "This me," said. "Just a something."
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5 a1 B1 T' H' I/ n. k: u" ]"Thank you, Sarah," said. firm. home, package. a a note. a time. didn't cry. hadn't decades, enough. bookmark. later, o'clock a eyes. today. bed, ceiling. shop, 9:15 went. 9:30 am. door. late.

- p! f+ W! D# R"Is ok, Sarah?" asked, a counter. "You worried."

"It's George. hasn't paper."
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- F& y% C1 ^. r* g- W2 G  P"The hermit?" asked.
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- R" _# @9 i' M; E5 s"He's a hermit. He's quiet. he's late."
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"People talked, know. accident. he'd on. Instead, stayed. away."
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"Where live, Henderson?"

8 ?) v0 I/ b( n4 s6 f/ B! {. c"Miller Lane. fourteen. a bug," said, milk. 1:00 pm, ended. shop's a soup. a started. Light. Persistent. bed, a gown, door. peephole. Sarah. open.

3 [: q: P. O7 s; ]" P: e"Sarah," said. thin. "I am... I unwell."
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"George, I didn't morning. dreadful. ok?"

"I a fever," admitted, firmly. "I'm disruption." didn't move. "You haven't a disruption, George, please, you. I things." bag. face, it. him. through. "Five minutes," said, hallway. inside. "Right. minutes," table. "But first, forehead." forward, skin. "You're up," said. "Have anything?"
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3 \2 a2 M9 U! ?; V# i4 t6 j"No. I don't here," admitted.

"Of don't," sighed, "I'm tea. bed," gently, "You rest." care, obeying. a later, a Assam, a water, a thermometer. table, temperature. Reluctantly, a head.

8 C9 H! Z- z* L* \"After you've tea, I'm you," said. " hot." cover. "Your newspaper," said, "delivered personally. Now, I sorted." cup. rose, strong, her. a tea. right. it, done. a them. leave, evening. object, smiled, lightly, anything. evening, stable. door.
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. ?" t0 k* Y6 t4 h4 f"Hi, George. I a shop. It's vegetables, stomach." hallway. forehead"You shouldn't trouble. here. for... me." arms. serious. "George," said, "you aren't you. You're George, you're help. it." vegetables. water, door.
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% k3 @" d! r( T6 x* Q"The table. slowly. I'll starts, sure, I'll newspaper." leave, it. "Sarah... wait. I don't this. I've I didn't anyone. I don't words. I don't I you."

" C  m) S6 u1 ?* `2 X" Vback, eye.
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"Everything working. life... stopped. there. you."

; Y, k% y  K1 a1 K( U"George, me," said, firm. "There debt. people. We're a team, ok? rest, I'll morning." gone. him. George, now. vegetables, sleep. arrived."Morning, George," said. "You're a today."
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"I'm a better, you," said, her. counter. "Make breakfast, lunchtime'll good. fluids."

"I will. you."
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4 I8 X  m9 {  G6 f! w+ a"Your normal."
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3 Q5 A% ?5 Y# w0 H& F"Ok," said, a moment. "Can I we're a team?"

" d8 }  u4 w1 h4 @"I don't back. It's other. I you're yourself, I'm you. I you'd I help."
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He'd a morning.
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"I would," softly.
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( I* P. ^8 g2 W9 w"Exactly, that's part," said, softening. "We're a other's day, George."

"Does we're friends?" him, a face. "It's a that, George. we're friends." a better, routine. shop, counter.
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3 F3 R2 m1 K0 ]+ w- i5 ^"Morning, George. It's back." a her. "Can I something?"

" Z( c9 {; `0 n, |4 p"Of can, George, anything."
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"As we're now... um, I wondering... a beach?" adding, "but to, course."
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: w# {; ?# R/ d' A6 t"I'd much, George."
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"You would." didn't excuse, hadn't. guard. face. "Would I later?"
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. |  S2 p- i+ p. H! }4 u"I I will." his. "I'll then, George." leave, "George, aren't something?" around. "What's that?"
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" X5 Q; |$ R- V  V: s/ @! K"Your newspaper."
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0 w: x# s/ G: L; u7 u"I don't today, Sarah. I a now." mirror, couldn't yes. hadn't a time. this. & Post. a door. o'clock, out, a shoulders.

% Y* {! F4 Z' c6 g3 `+ n$ K"Hi George," him.
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. Q" G  l7 I" F) B* ^"Hi, Sarah." together, them, his. promenade, silence. "It's I be," said, fleece.
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. F& J# o9 ?# h) l0 y  ?) E7 v! e4 P/ ~"It is."

1 n/ \' }: i" V* K# \"Look out," said, sand. "Soaking in."
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"Looks way." a bench, a stop. "Can a while? I've six." first, lap. sea, shoes, her. them, smaller.

$ x" Y# A. ~& `"You know, I here, I didn't anyone. I plants."
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"But people." smiled. "You what's door. you... different. a escape," softly. "Funnily enough, that's much."

"I've invisible. I quiet."
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"And now?" asked, him. unwell. "You all. It's a frightening," admitted. "But I'm adjusting." bag, a one. hour, biscuits, beach, sea. back. house, stopped. "See tomorrow, George."
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: P! S) O  g$ N- x- t, m"I'll there, I early. I playing." arm. a gesture, him. now. a alone, one. together. conversations hadn't years. forever. afternoon, walked, flushed, didn't away. walking. a word.

A later, a quiet, gate.

( ]2 x- P9 T) @1 o/ g; H# k7 U"George," whispered, nearer. "I you. a team." paused, dropping. "Instead tomorrow... here?" house, her. a a time. that, thought.

1 g" G/ Z' O2 ^8 }, ["Yes," said. smiled. "Tomorrow. beach. Just... here." out, a a skirt.

3 v- T+ {* ^. I. G, i8 q* ~"Ready?" asked.
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"Ready," replied. strolls. door, a it.
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"Welcome," said, aside. inside, shoes. shoes, wall.
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"I'll on," said, kitchen. sink. rhythm, leaves.

"Sit down," said, table. a sat, him. "You know, George," a little, "I here. I don't door." paused, hand. didn't immediately. "It's a house, Sarah. special." a while, tea. a room. spotless, place.
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3 s: `6 {: y. `8 `0 ?! N6 g"It's a home," said, down. "Would around? to, course." hesitated, nodded. "Sure. I that." first. doors. didn't them.

"My parents' room. sisters'." doors. didn't handles. "You've same?"
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"I don't much," said. "Only winter. end. It's a bathroom." rooms. stairs, a right.

/ L# I" M6 q/ m1 @" W"This room. I a study."
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( F8 t+ P0 y  w/ c5 HA wall, window. paper, a calculator, a pen. files.
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+ Q6 |1 v2 a4 ]' F"It's organized," said, doorway.
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* L4 ]( ]: z1 N8 G"It's I house," said. didn't in. door. hallway, room. "This I time. I on." room. heavy, a oak. wall, a radio. table, heavy, dark, expensive. television. garden.
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"The work," said, glass. "But I privacy."

"It's beautiful." breast.
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8 D3 q8 ]" x  N5 j! O8 S! B9 U"That's it," said, kitchen. hallway, end. "You one, George." stopped, frame. didn't bedroom. "It's bedroom," said. "You've it. I unwell." him. "I a there, George. I haven't room." hesitated. small. Slowly, door. first. a room. A a wall. A corner. inside. "It's peaceful," said. "The garden. morning."

"I do." table. room, smaller. bed, her. door. "Well, that's it. That's house." chest. steady. "I here," softly. "The shone. I you, George. you." still, hitched. didn't move. cheek. contact, didn't away.
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8 |+ M5 v+ L* W"It's ok," whispered. in. happen, his. a room. there, a little, close. back, didn't away. hard. her, dazed. face, sides. trembling. differently, didn't. face. warm.
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6 h7 V) k& D. C"Are ok?" asked.
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"I so." his. that, a while. bed. hand. "We slow, George. We've afternoon." a little. her. George, Sarah. shirt. gently.

6 P, T+ y( E3 ?/ b"Sarah," whispered. "There's know. I've never... I've this. all."

6 y) e5 g- {: f, `* |5 A4 M6 g: d1 ]"You you're a virgin, George?" gently. nodded, floor.
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4 a' S% n3 T7 k' w' W"George," softly, "We've shop, walks. We'll out, too. me, ok." blouse, open. hand, shoulder, floor. him, shirt, drop. belt, throat. trousers, them. Finally, legs. air, hard. slowly, warm. tightened, a lips. widened, hand. a go. a back, his. feet, knickers. him, hitched.

8 W& i/ G& c3 W+ X4 r9 p' r"You're... you're beautiful," breathed, body. smiled, "It's me, George." a kiss. his. breathless. a tip. him. her. "Are this?" asked. a moment, nodded. in, him. couldn't her, him. a pace, suction. a couldn't contain. involuntarily, short, built. a deeper, a chest. peak, in, hollowing.

"Sarah," croaked. nodded. mouth, it. still. him. a gaze, hands, her. duvet. "Come me," said. bed, a hesitant, pillows. arm.
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"Are you're ok, George?"
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" v- z$ {. [) j7 e5 ?"I'm...I'm yes, I'm ok."
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2 q) }6 a9 n4 s5 K* k! h7 n0 J"Do me, George?"
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"I'm mean, Sarah." legs. a circle. her. her. a faster, pace. gasps. him. wrist, her, shuddered, came.
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"Again?" breathed, again. a small, shoulder.
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3 X# Q5 m; C9 z) B1 ~2 \"I can't it," admitted, a whisper. "Watching that." thighs, clearly. again, him. watched, away, her. chest, a slow, rhythm. "Just me, George," whispered. up, waist. breasts. softness. his, hips. "Yes," breathed, back. "Just that." a go. didn't away. her, steadier. back. hand, thighs, in. gently, deeper. pace, back. her, deeper. waist, in, him. came. him, couldn't back, followed. her, shoulder, settled. Then, side, both. ceiling. light, floating. didn't arms, she'd it, hip.
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  P) g- w, ~& L& J5 G* Q"You're quiet, George," whispered. swallowed. tight. "I'm just... thinking."
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( E! n( {4 i4 k, Q- O"About?"

"About I wasted." her. "I've same. I point. place."
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"It wasn't wasted. weren't yet." a laugh. "I didn't it. I down." smiled, "Are ok? Really?"

"I'm a ok."

"Good," said, his. "Because I house." didn't yet. "Are hungry?" asked.
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( q  Q+ N1 Y% f; B3 J* q3 u$ y"Starving," said.
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"I bread, cheese, tea," said. "It isn't much, it's I've got."

1 H, Z- D3 f/ z( L$ k* Q- G"It's perfect," said, hand. morning, didn't pavement. didn't neighbour's yapping. walking, they'd years. & Post, open. cellos. counter, around. him, a neck. didn't loud, "Morning, George!" to, up. counter. "Forgot something?" whispered.
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"I didn't anything," said. "I you." widened. counter, open. "Just me?"

"And beach."
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* W( C5 `$ o' R7 P7 z6 f" x"I'd that," said. "I'll I'm done." walked, close. there, heavy.

0 m) [4 v, y" ]& P5 ~"You're today," said, him. nodded. "I lighter, a gone."
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" `' ?& I( b9 Q  w"That's a thing, then."
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: m9 Y; V/ p' r" p$ A" U8 o"It is." promenade, said. "I radio," sea. "How I a old. I I myself."

6 t$ F; W4 v. P" _( q"I it," softly, "You knobs, precise. gentleness, yesterday." flush. "I've a distance, I on," her. "I terrified, Sarah. I I in, I'd overwhelmed."
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! B2 r1 f9 Q8 d7 A( Y( l4 B8 C"And you?"

"I am," admitted, "but it's I be." a while. water's edge, a noise. ago, go, he'd leave. Now, there.
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: \, s. x; q/ K/ k, W2 U1 D8 n) i"What now, George?"

; i$ T0 K1 Z8 k4 v3 S+ q: @"For years, I routine," said. "But I'll tomorrow." him. "I've beach," whispered. "Do house?" arm. "Yes. I'd that."