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"Aly

"Good," Mamaw said, and walked in She went directly to the bed

Dora expected her to rest her hand on her shoulder, offer a gentle pat of encouragement Instead she took hold of the sheet and whipped it off her body

Dora swung around and stared at her agog

"Dora, it’s high tiot out of bed!"

"I don’t want to" Dora grabbed for the sheet and pulled it back over her shoulders

"I don’t care I’ you I want you up and out of this bed this instant Do you hear me?"

Dora hadn’t been spoken to like that since she’d been a little girl She was too stunned to speak Instead, she turned her back to Maan to cry

"Oh, Dora," Ma on the bed beside her

"I’, you passed unhappy ht miserable"

"I know," Dora sobbed "I hate ivably, laughed

"It’s not funny," Dora ground out

"No, it’s not But you’re having whatin this bed ing isn’t helping"

"I like it here"

Mairl, when I invited you to return to Sea Breeze fro here If you wanted to stay in bed and , you should have gone hohter against her chest

Ma the room with sunshine

"Look outside, child! There’s the ocean, the beach, the sunlight, the sweet-s for you You er" She tapped Dora’s shoulder "Or onlike a spoiled child and I won’t have it"

This was classic Ma her mind Honesty was always easier to deal with, and suddenly Dora felt glad Mamaw had come into her room like a ray of sunshine A bit ashamed of her behavior, Dora rolled over to face Mamaw

"I feel like such a fool," she said "I’ve failed as a wife As a mother"

"Of course you haven’t"

"Haven’t I? My mother certainly thinks I have I feel like I’ve broken soet ain"