"George R. R. Martin - Portraits of His Children" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

"That's why I have to go back," Michelle insisted. "That guy, what he didтАж what he did to meтАж" Her
voice caught in her throat. She drew in her breath, got hold of herself. "If I don't go back, it's like he ran
me out of town, took my whole life away from me, my friends, my art, everything. I can't let him get away
with that, can't let him scare me off. I got to go back and take up what's mine, prove that I'm not afraid."

Richard Cantling looked at his daughter helplessly. He reached out, gently touched her long, soft hair.
She had finally said something that made sense in his terms. He would do the same thing, he knew. "I
understand," he said. "It's going to be lonely here without you, but I understand, I do."

"I'm scared," Michelle said. "I bought plane tickets. For tomorrow."
"So soon?"

"I want to do it quickly, before I lose my nerve," she said. "I don't think I've ever been this scared. Not
evenтАж not even when it was happening. Funny, huh?"

"No," said Cantling. "It makes sense."

"Daddy, hold me," Michelle said. She pressed herself into his arms. He hugged her and felt her body
tremble.

"You're shaking," he said.

She wouldn't let go of him. "You remember, when I was real little, I used to have those nightmares, and
I'd come bawling into your bedroom in the middle of the night and crawl into bed between you and
Mommy."

Cantling smiled. "I remember," he said.

"I want to stay here tonight," Michelle said, hugging him even more tightly. "Tomorrow I'll be back there,
alone. I don't want to be alone tonight. Can I, Daddy?"

Cantling disengaged gently, looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nodded; a tiny, quick, shy nod. A child's nod.

He threw back the covers and she crept in next to him. "Don't go away," she said. "Don't even go to the
bathroom, okay? Just stay right here with me."

"I'm here," he said. He put his arms around her, and Michelle curled up under the covers with her head
on his shoulder. They lay together that way for a long time. He could feel her heart beating inside her
chest. It was a soothing sound; soon Cantling began to drift back to sleep.

"Daddy?" she whispered against his chest.

He opened his eyes. "Michelle?"

"Daddy, I have to get rid of it. It's inside me and it's poison. I don't want to take it back with me. I have
to get rid of it."