Part 43 (2/2)

like this. But I don't know what to do about-” He stopped

himself and looked down at Maggie. ”This is so frustrating.

I just need to take some time to figure everything Out. It's not

fair to anyone.”

She didn't know what to say. On one hand, she wanted

to say, ”Forget about Leah, and kiss me again!” but that

would be immature and selfish on her part. And on the other

hand, she hated seeing Leah hurt and longed for their rela-

tions.h.i.+p to return to normal-and she'd felt so hopeful only

minutes ago.

”It's getting late,” he said. ”I'm sorry about all this,

Maggie. It's certainly not what I'd planned...”

”It's okay. It's not your fault,” she said automatically. But

she wondered which part he was sorry about. Was it the

interruption or the kiss?

aggie did a double take when she saw Clyde

~f// seated all by himself at the back of the church. He

wore an old suit jacket that looked like it might

have survived the Great Depression, and in his lap his old

fingers nervously rotated a black felt hat. Maggie had never

seen Clyde in church before, and she smiled warmly as she

slipped into the pew next to him, followed by her mother

and then Spencer dumping in awkwardly with his crutches

rattling against the bench. Meanwhile Leah went off,

Maggie felt sure, to search for Jed.

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