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Show Fair Forever 29 'Amanda loves sea turtles, Mom,' I explained. 'She ran the Coastal 5K the same year Dad ran. She thinks they 're amazing, the way they race to the sea right after they hatch.' , 7 'Against all odds,' Amanda repeated, and she reached out and touched my shoulder. . , . / could tell Mom was remembering, thinking back on the race, recalling when Dad gave me the shirt. Suddenly Mom looked at Amanda in the strangest way, like they were already best friends, like she had known her all her life. She reached into her purse. 'Amanda, why don't I give you our phone number? When you and your mom come looking for a place, please give us a call. I have an extra bedroom that you 're welcome to use.' She scribbled some numbers on a paper and handed it to our new friend. , 7 ; .''.',• We couldn % " Amanda answered, but she looked at the paper. We wouldn 't want to be any trouble. " ' ; !No trouble!" I said, sounding anxious. 'You wouldn't be any trouble.' Amanda smiled then and, tucking the paper in her pocket, she left On our way home, Mom and I stopped for crepes at IHOP. Mom had banana cream and I had strawberry. The same as always-like nothing had changed. - ' , , i "Like nothing had changed," the old man repeats, knowing my story had ended for the day! . . _ , .^ |