"Idon'tknowwhatyoumean。&qued。
"Yes，youdo。You'vefoughteveryinchoftheinning，too，butlately，it'sasifyou'vejustgivenup。"
Heheavedasighandpickedupabisibblingatitbefatme。
Dad'sdeepuzzledthedoctor，too。
"I'msorry。There'snothingphysigwithyourfather，apartfromwhat'sleftoverfromthestroke。Aally，well，Ireallydon'tthinkthere'sanythingtoworryaboutthere。"
&ht。Dad'sbloodtestscamebackdfurthertestsshowedn。Heshouldhavebeengtogetbetter—buthewasn't。
Itriedallkiotempthisfailie。Ieverpersuadedhimtoeforadriveiassoohome，he'dsinkbatoapathyandI'dthink，I'mlosinghimagain。
WhatmadeitsomuchhardertobearwasthefactthatIrememberedhimsowellasayoungman。He'dbeensofullyandlife，gmeonhisshoulders，gmearoundtheparkandgmeupinhisarms。
He'ssetoffforawalkandalways，always，I'drunoutofthehousebehindhim。He'dhadsuchazestforlifethatitbrokemyhearttoseehimnow，sittingoutinthegarden，ablaoverhisknees，gaziospace。
Whecametolivewithusafterthestroke，he'dbeenbed-ridden。IsmiledasIrememberedhowMeghadfinallygothimup。
DearMeg。She&#htinastithegardenaraightupstairswithit？
Ifollowedher，wwhatohsheto。ShedepositedthestiDad'sbed，thensteppedbaghertaillikemad。
Dadliftedhisheadfromthepillow。
"What'sthis？"
Shebarkedeversosoftlyaickwithhernose。
"Forme？"Dadchuckled，reagforit，butMegwastooquiatchedthestickback。
Itturoagame。EverytimeDadtriedtotouchherstick，shewhippeditaway。Atlast，shedroppeditohistime，Meglethimpickitup。
"Jill？"Dadshouted。"Jill？"
&ohimhewaslaughing。"Wouldyouhelpmedowairs？"heasked。"I'dliketositoutinthegarden。Ithrowthestieg。"
"Ofcourse，Dad。"I'dbeenthrilledandfromthatmomenton，he&#ressedinleapsandbounds。
Meghadbeeome，aplaymatetothe，butshe'dbeensomuchmoretoDad。She'dbeenwithhimallthetime，keepinghimpanyforthehourshehadtospendalone。Nowonderhe'ddeed。Hehadtimetositandbroodandthink，andsadnesshadsettledallaroundhim。
Thefollowingday，IsettledDadinthegardeheplayichfuleye。
"Iwon'tbelong，"Ipromised。"You'llbeallright，Dad？Ifyouwantanythiitforyou。"
"Tha;Dadsmiled。"Don'tworry。I'llkeepahings。"
IeverreplaceMeg，Ik。ButIcould，perhaps，fillavoidinDad'slife。
I'doananimalhomebeforeandwasn'tpreparedforthesholydogs，butcats，acoupleofpmygoatsandseveralrabbitswantednewhomes。
Twosistersrantheplace。Hardlyaasdoing，Ifoundmyselfpoutmylifestorytothem。
Bahs，owoheendoftherowofpeheveryend，IsawSadiesittingintheer。Shewasn'tsittily。Shewashowling—asad，heart-brokennoise。Assoonasshesawus，shestoppedaatmethroughthewire。Sheseemedtobeweighingmeup。
WhenIpokedmyfihroughthebars，sheshiedawayfromthem。Ispokesoftlythertoe。Afterwhatseemedanage，shecameforwardandlickedmyfingers。
"She&#e;Iremarked，whowshewouldtaketomynoisy。I'dalreadylostmyhearttoherinawayIneverimaginedpossible？
"Herownersmovedaway，"Babssaid。"Theyputherinbkennels，sayingthey'dbebaaweekbuttheyurned。Shewon'tgivehertrusteasily，butifshe'sgivenenoughlove—s？"
"Howcruel？"Igasped。"Howcouldthey？"
"Oh，itcouldhavebeenalotworse，"Babsued。"Shehysicallyhurt，buthercehastakenaterriblebatteriantreassuran'tbeartobealo;
"She'dneverbealo;IsaidandSadiewaggedhertailasifsheuood。"Andinourhouse，believeme，there'sneoflove？"
&home，MatthewandLaurawereoutofsight。Dad，asalways，wasstaringintospace。Hedidhertoreadaseemedtospendhiswholelifejustwatgtimeslipa>
"Dad…"