CHAPTER FIFTY-ONESix months later
Jessica
Boulder was ablaze with the golden leaves of aspen trees. The
air was crisp and cool, but the sun was shining.
Shelley saw me in her office. I took a seat and awaited her
verdict.
“I’m still not comfortable with the end,” she said.
I can’t say I was surprised. Even so, I asked, “Why?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Don’t you think it’s a bit corny?
Derivative?”
“Maybe. But I can’t picture it ending any other way.”
Shelley shook her head and set her tortoise-rimmed glasses
aside. “Can you take one more crack at it? Try for a more definite ending. More
positive, maybe?”
I realized what she was getting at. “You think I sound like a
crack-pot, right?”
She smiled and waved a dismissive hand, though her eyes didn’t
reflect her casual air.
“
