第42部分(第3/5 頁)

g　herself　and　running　on。　The　hammer　of

her　heart　made　breathing　difficult；　but　she　didn't　stop。

He　was　fast　disappearing　into　the　woods。　Frantically　she　followed；

running　on　through　the　low　growth　until　she　reached　a　clearing。　He　sat

there　with　his　back　to　her；　brooding　among　the　dandelions。　The　sun

glanced　off　his　hair　in　sparkles；　but　his　hunched　form　was　grim。

〃Mitch？〃

She　crept　nearer。

〃Mitch；　I'm　sorry；　so　sorry。〃　She　tried　to　touch　him；　but　pulled　back

when　he　flinched。　So　she　hunkered　down　inches　behind　him　and　said；　〃I've

been　wrong。　Please　forgive　me。　It　was　cruel　of　me　not　to　listen；　not　to

even　ask　questions；　but　it　hurt　to　know　that　there　was　so　much　I　didn't

know；　after　everything　that　we'd　shared。　Because　of　what　we'd　shared；　I

should　have　given　you　the　chance　to　explain；　but　I　loved　you　so　much。

Finding　out　who　you　were　like　that　was　awful。　Try　to　understand。〃

This　time　when　she　touched　his　shoulder；　he　allowed　it。

〃I've　always　been　nayve；〃　she　explained　not　to　make　excuses　for　herself；

but　so　that　Mitch　would　know　more。　〃My　life　was　easy　and　happy　and

charmed。　Maybe　I　felt　immune　to　tragedy。　I'd　never　known　any；　not　until

the　crash；　and　then　I　couldn't　believe　Jeff　was　gone。　It　couldn't　happen

to　me。〃

She　moved　closer。　〃Then　I　found　you。　I　love　you；　Mitch。　I　fought　it　for

a　long　time。　I　was　afraid　of　suffering　the　kind　of　pain　I　had　suffered

loving　Jeff　and　losing　him。　When　I　saw　you　in　that　lawyer's　office；　the

two　worlds　came　together。　I　should　have　trusted　you。　I　should　have　known

that　there　was　an　explanation。　So　help　me；　I　was　afraid　to　listen。　Maybe

I　was　punishing　mys