the
eggs； aren't you？ Well； our eggs are perfectly fine！ We've
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been eating them for nearly three years and none of us have gotten poisoned。 Mrs。 Stueby
and Mrs。 Helms seem in good health to me； too； and the
fact of the matter is； if you didn't want them； you should've just told me so！”
His hands fell to his sides and he shook his head as he said； “Eggs？ Poisoned？ Julianna； I
have no idea what you're talking about。”
Inside I was so angry and hurt and embarrassed that I didn't even feel like me。 “I'm talking
about the eggs that I've been bringing over to your
house for more than two years— eggs that my chickens laid that I could've sold！ Eggs that
your family has been throwing away！” I was shouting at
him。 Shouting at an adult； like I'd never shouted at anyone in my entire life。
His voice got very quiet。 “I'm sorry。 I don't know about any eggs。 Who did you give them to？”
“Bryce！” My throat choked closed as I said his name again。 “Bryce。”
Mr。 Duncan nodded slowly and said； “Well；” then went back to pruning his bush。 “That
probably explains it。”
“What do you mean？”
He sighed。 “The boy still has a ways to go。”
I just stared at him； not trusting myself with the words sizzling on my tongue。
“Oh； he's a very handsome boy； there's no denying that；” he said with a frown。 Then he
snapped a branch and added； “The spitting image