第42部分(第4/6 頁)

　you　so　much。

Finding　out　who　you　were　like　that　was　awful。　Try　to　understand。〃

This　time　when　she　touched　his　shoulder；　he　allowed　it。

〃I've　always　been　nayve；〃　she　explained　not　to　make　excuses　for　herself；

but　so　that　Mitch　would　know　more。　〃My　life　was　easy　and　happy　and

charmed。　Maybe　I　felt　immune　to　tragedy。　I'd　never　known　any；　not　until

the　crash；　and　then　I　couldn't　believe　Jeff　was　gone。　It　couldn't　happen

to　me。〃

She　moved　closer。　〃Then　I　found　you。　I　love　you；　Mitch。　I　fought　it　for

a　long　time。　I　was　afraid　of　suffering　the　kind　of　pain　I　had　suffered

loving　Jeff　and　losing　him。　When　I　saw　you　in　that　lawyer's　office；　the

two　worlds　came　together。　I　should　have　trusted　you。　I　should　have　known

that　there　was　an　explanation。　So　help　me；　I　was　afraid　to　listen。　Maybe

I　was　punishing　myself。　Maybe　I　was　feeling　guilty　for　finding　happiness

with　you。〃　Her　voice　broke。

His　eyes　met　hers；　then；　and　they　were　filled　with　the　same

vulnerability　she　felt。　It　gave　her　the　strength　to　finish。

〃My　God；　Mitch；　haven't　we　both　suffered　enough？　Isn't　it　time　to　end

the　punishment？　I　love　you。〃

〃Do　you；　Anne？〃　he　asked　unsurely；　huskily；　hopefully。　〃Do　you　love　me

enough　to　want　to　wake　up　in　my　arms　every　day；　knowing　that　I　make

mistakes？〃

〃Knowing　that　you're　human？　It's　a　relief；　y'know？〃

A　sound　came　from　his　throa