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file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20Stephen%20King%20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htm“Come here,” she said and tugged him gently toward her. Not by the hand. “He knows if you’ve beensleeping,” she sang softly; a little smile curved up the corners of her lips. “He knows if you’re awake. . .oh my, Louis dear, what’s this?”“Something that just woke up, I think,” Louis said, slipping offhis robe. “Maybe we ought to see if we can get it to sleep before Santa comes, what do you think?”She rose on one elbow; he felt her breath, warm and sweet.“He knows if you’ve been bad or good. . . so be good. . . for goodness sake. . . Have you been a goodboy, Louis?”“I think so,” he said. His voice was not quite steady.“Let’s see if you taste as good as you look,” she said.The sex was good, but Louis did not find himself simply slipping off afterward as he usually did whenthe sex was good—slipping off easy with himself, his wife, his life. He lay in the darkness of Christmasmorning, listening to Rachel’s breathing slow and deep, and he thought about the dead bird on thedoorstep— Church’s Christmas present to him.Keep me in mind, Dr. Creed. I was alive and then I was dead and now I’m alive again. I’ve made thecircuit and I’m here to tell you that you come out the other side with your purr-box broken and a tastefor the hunt, I’m here to tell you that a man grows what he can and tends it. Don’t forget that, Dr. Creed,I’m part of what your heart will grow now, there’s your wife and your daughter and your son. . . andthere’s me. Remember the secret and tend your garden well.At some point Louis slept.31Their winter passed. Ellie’s faith in Santa Claus was restored— temporarily at least—by the footprints inthe hearth. Gage opened his presents splendidly, pausing every now and then to munch a particularlytasty-looking piece of wrapping paper. And that year, both kids had decided by midafternoon that theboxes were more fun than the toys.file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20St...20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htm (152 of 333)7/28/2005 9:21:49 PM