When Maggie spied at Lauren and her companion, she turned her huge head towards her and sniffed the air noisily, then waved her paw and walked on, taking her offspring with her. «‘Oh my God, I almost had a heart attack!’ Kevin exhaled as the bear cub disappeared from sight. «‘I wonder why she didn’t hurt us?’ Lauren looked nostalgically towards Maggie and shook her head.
«‘She and I are friends,’ she said, turning to Kevin. «‘It’s a long story. I’ll tell it over tea sometime.'» Kevin smiled silently, slung his bookbag on his shoulder and strode into the thicket.
Before he disappeared into the woods, he turned and waved at Lauren. The girl waved back and walked slowly in the opposite direction toward her house. She was eager to tell Aunt Gabriella about how the stranger ranger Kevin had restored her ability to walk, and she was eager to see Kevin again and to tell him the story of meeting Maggie the bear.
Thinking about all this, Lauren walked leisurely past the huge pines and spruces, barely leaning on her crutches. Now she had no doubt that soon she would not need them. Their time was over, and for Lauren it was time for something new and wonderful.