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“I should be here, helping you and Marty We’re a family,” I say “What happens to Amelia’s if you can’t run it anyive up his oil job to keep it going full-time”

“That’s my worry and not yours”

“But what about your life and Marty’s?”

“What about therandfather and takes things one day at a time I wish you’d do the same”

“I guess” I don’t want to make her feel bad, like she’s a burden, because she’s totally not

“You guess what?”

“WellMarty stayed here originally so I could go run off to college and findIt’s only fair forhe wantseven if that’s just having a break fro two jobs”

She picks up her spoon and shuffles back to the counter to stir her cookie dough

“I suspect that if there’s so Marty wants, he’ll do it, whether you’re here or not, Shelly He chased that North Earhart job for years and worked his way up, just like your uncle and granddad But you wanted to see the world We happily supported you because we love you No regrets That’s how it is when you love so thereen Earth”

I’ve heard that before and wonder if there’s so so selfish

A ires crossed in my brain?

“Did you always knohat you wanted, Gram? Did you ever want to live somewhere else?”

“Been there, done that”

“You did? What? When?” I’ve never heard anything about it “I thought you lived in Dallas your entire life”

“Not quite After high school, I went to Chicago for a couple years I took up a secretary job at a big coood fun, for a tiot from North Dakota only made it worse I knew in ed So I ot a train ticket ho to leave, a visitor dropped by who assured ht choice”