i jumped at the sound and then hurried to the kitchen , thinking someone had broken the window from outside , but it was n't like we had a lot of visitors out here unless it was a department of defense officer bum rushing the house . she laughed , sounding more like her confident self . under the bruises , she was smiling . youre welcome , she says , turning to leave . there was no way they could have landed that far apart without some sort of assistance but for the life of her , she could n't figure it out . 