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Back Strangers She Knows Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. BPA
  61. Author Bio

As another aside, I’m not leaving the attic. I don’t trust Father. He’ll recover from his shock, and if I’m anywhere within reach, he’ll grab me and I’ll be hurt in ugly ways. My baby will be torn from my body, and I’ll be given to Alfred. No. I’m safe here.

If only I could receive a letter from Patrick. Do you suppose Father is intercepting his letters? Or General Tempe is? Or…or that Patrick has forgotten me and our love?

lines

Something is not right. My belly is cramping. The baby’s not big enough to be born. Not now. I know this isn’t right. I know when this baby was conceived, right to the very hour. Oh, please. Not yet. I’ve suffered so much, and it’s all I have of Patrick. Please, God.

lines

Dear diary, my little Aileen was born, and she died on the same day. I held her while she breathed her first breath and her last. I named her for Patrick’s mother, who may never know about her darling granddaughter. Mother and Hermione are with me, but I’m empty, and I’m bereft. Please, dear diary, explain to me how it’s possible to be so rich with love seven months ago, and to be so alone now.

lines

Kellen turned the page. It was empty. So was the next. And the next. She rifled through the rest of the diary.

Empty.

“What’s next?” Rae asked belligerently.

Kellen cleared her throat. “Ruby stopped there.”

“Stopped? There?” Rae stood up on the window seat, her stocking-clad feet curled around the edge of the cushion. She lifted her arms straight over her head. She shook her fists in rage. “No. No! After all this, Ruby can’t have a baby who dies, and Patrick who goes away and doesn’t come back. Ruby has to have something. Some crumb of happiness. She has to. Please, Mommy. This can’t be all there is.”

Luna was on her feet, watching Rae in alarm, whining softly.

Kellen wanted to say stuff about, Life’s not fair, which was true, but right now, after Olympia, and Dylan and Jamie, and being alone on the island—that wasn’t what was needed. “Rae, you’re right. Um…” Kellen looked at the diary, then shut it with a finger in the last page. “There are pages that are torn out at the end. It’s the stuff Ruby didn’t dare to leave on paper.” A lie, but a lie told for good reason.

“What?” Rae demanded.