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第30部分（第3页）

her　parents　house　with　their　usual　crowd；　and；　yes；　she　missed　Jeff。

But　there　were　interesting　people　to　talk　with；　and　chaos　enough　to

pretend　that　Jeff　might　just　be　off　in　another　room。　Her　major

disfort　proved　to　be　a　stomachache　from　eating　more　heavily　than　she

had　in　a　year；　but　an　antacid　and　a　long　walk　with　her　father　eased　that

pain。

Work　kept　her　busy；　as　did；　to　her　dismay；　unfinished　business　relating

to　the　plane　crash。　The　FAA　had　finally　e　through　with　its　findings；

and　Annes　lawyer　had　filed　suit　against　the　airline…a　small；　privately

owned　one…for　the　inadequate　upkeep　and　safety…check　procedure　of　its

craft。

Anne　had　always　known　that　the　suit　was　a　possibility；　but　her　appetite

for　it　had　waned。　Not　so　Jeffs　parents　appetite。　They　kept　the　lawyer

on　the　case　even　after　Anne　asked　them　to　stop。

Now　the　wheels　of　justice　were　turning。　The　lawyer　called　her　in　for

meeting　after　meeting。　Rarely　did　a　day　go　by　when　he　didnt　phone　her

with　one　question　or　another。　The　latest　word　was　that　there　would　be　a

hearing　in　early　April。　Anne　cringed　at　the　thought。

She　was　tired　of　reliving　the　accident；　tired　of　the　horror；　the

helplessness；　the　anger。　She　would　love　Jeff　until　the　day　she　died；　but

she　needed　to　live　until　then。

And　there　was　Mitch。　Something　had　begun　to　change…in　her　life；　in　her

outlook；　in　her　attitude　toward　him。　He　was　being　real。　When　she　was

low；　she　thought　of　him　and　felt　better。　The　prospect　of　seeing　him　for

the　New　Years　holiday　became　part　of　her　daily　routine。

It　worried　her　a　little。　She　wondered　if　she　was　building　him　up　to　be

something　he　wasnt。　She　remembered　him　as　being　smart；　solid；　and

strong；　as　offering　protection　and　fort；　stimulation　and　challenge。

At　times　he　seemed　larger　than　life；　too　large　for　a　plane　crash　to

kill。　She　half…suspected　he　would　look　at　the　burning　debris　and　walk

away　unscathed。

It　occurred　to　her　that　after　building　him　up；　she　might　be　in　for　a

letdown　when　she　saw　him　again。　She　figured　she　had　until　New　Years　to

get　a　grip　on　herself。

As　it　happened；　she　was　wrong。

Alexander　Robie；　the　professor　for　whom　she　did　the　ongoing　grant　work；

organized　a　dinner　for　the　seven　people　involved　with　the　project。　There

were　two　secretaries；　three　research　assistants；　Alex　and　a　colleague　of

his；　and　Anne。　Thumbing　his　nose　at　the　usual　budget　restraints；　Alex