Authors: Varian Johnson

Saving Maddie (22 page)

Well, if that’s what you’re thinking, you’re right.

I tried to convince her not to worry—that you’re a smart girl and you’re going to be okay. But I’ll be honest—it’s really hard not to worry.

But there’s nothing I can do about that. All I can do is pray for your well-being and keep writing letters. And one day—maybe next week or next month or even next year—you’ll show back up, and I’ll have my own notebook of letters to give to you.

Because even though I don’t know where you are, I can still write letters. I can still keep my promise.

Anyway, this is going to have to be a quick letter, because I’m meeting with Rachel and a bunch of the girls from church about forming a praise-dance team.

If I time it right, I should have a few extra minutes to grab a cup of coffee on the way.

—
Joshua

varian johnson
was born and raised in Florence, South Carolina, but now makes his home in Austin, Texas, with his wife and their two cocker spaniels. He is a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Program for Writing for Children and Young Adults and is the author of
My Life as a Rhombus.
Visit him online at
www.varianjohnson.com
.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is availabe upon request
.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89592-0

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v3.0

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgments

In the Beginning: (Five Years Ago)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2