@@@@@ Not one glance in my direction, not one
@@@@@
Not one glance in my direction, not one more thought for my fate
I listened to the fading sound of his footsteps until they were goneThen, forgetting Jeb's
existence, I pressed my face into my hands and sobbed
CHAPTER 20
Freed
Jeb let me cry myself out without interruptingHe didn't comment all through the following
snifflesIt was only when I'd been completely silent for a good half hour that he spoke
“Still awake in there?”
I didn't answerI was too much in the habit of silence
“You want to come out here and stretch?” he offered“My back is aching just thinking about
that stupid hole
Ironically, considering my week of maddening silence, I wasn't in the mood for companyBut
his offer wasn't one I could refuseBefore I could think about it, my hands were pulling me
through the exit
Jeb was sitting with crossed legs on the matI watched him for some reaction as I shook out my
arms and legs and rolled my shoulders, but he had his eyes closedLike the time of Jamie's visit,
he looked asleep
How long had it been since I'd seen Jamie? And how was he now? My already sore heart gave a
painful little lurch
“Feel better?” Jeb asked, his eyes opening
“It's going to be okay, you know He grinned a wide, face-stretching grin“That stuff I said to
Jared… Well, I won't say Ilied, exactly, because it's all true if you look at it from a certain angle,
but from another angle, it wasn't so much the truth as it was what he needed to hear
I just stared; I didn't understand a word of what he was saying
“Anyway, Jared needs a break from thisNot from you, kid,” he added quickly, “but from the
situationHe'll gain some perspective while he's awa