第20部分(第2/7 頁)

　go　with　twice；〃　I　suggested；　thinking　of　the　pile　I'd　just

been　assigned　today。

He　sighed　a　heavy　sigh。　Then　he　reached　over　his　toolbox　to　a　paper　grocery

sack。　He　pulled　out　two

cans　of　soda；　cracking　one　open　and　handing　it　to　me。　He　opened　the　second；

and　held　it　up

ceremoniously。

〃Here's　to　responsibility；〃　he　toasted。　〃Twice　a　week。〃

〃And　recklessness　every　day　in　between；〃　I　emphasized。

He　grinned　and　touched　his　can　to　mine。

I　got　home　later　than　I'd　planned　and　found　Charlie　had　ordered　a　pizza　rather

than　wait　for　me。　He

wouldn't　let　me　apologize。

〃I　don't　mind；〃　he　assured　me。　〃You　deserve　a　break　from　all　the　cooking；

anyway。〃

I　knew　he　was　just　relieved　that　I　was　still　acting　like　a　normal　person；　and

he　was　not　about　to　rock　the

boat。

I　checked　my　e…mail　before　I　started　on　my　homework；　and　there　was　a　long　one

from　Renee。　She

gushed　over　every　detail　I'd　provided　her　with；　so　I　sent　back　another

exhaustive　description　of　my　day。

Everything　but　the　motorcycles。　Even　happy…go…lucky　Renee　was　likely　to　be

alarmed　by　that。

School　Tuesday　had　its　ups　and　downs。　Angela　and　Mike　seemed　ready　to　wele

me　back　with　open

arms—to　kindly　overlook　my　few　months　of　aberrant　behavior。　Jess　was　more

resistant。　I　wondered　if

she　needed　a　formal　written　apology　for　the　Port　Angeles　incident。

Mike　was　animated　and　chatty　at　work。　It　was　like　he'd　stored　up　the

semester's　worth　of　talk；　and　it

was　all　spilling　out　now。　I　found　that　I　was　able　to　smile　and　laugh　with　him；

though　it　wasn't　as　effortless

as　it　was　with　Jacob。　It　seemed　harmless　enoug