op　cutting

the　tires　and　George　hit　his　head。　Then　the　men　who　are　in　charge　of　the　school

said　that　George　couldn't　go　there　anymore　and　your　daddy　couldn't　teach　there

anymore。〃　She　stopped；　out　of　words；　and　waited　in　dread　for　the　deluge　of

questions。

〃Oh；〃　Danny　said；　and　went　back　to　looking　up　the　street。　Apparently　the

subject　was　closed。　If　only　it　could　be　closed　that　easily　for　her　—

She　stood　up。　〃I'm　going　upstairs　for　a　cup　of　tea；　doc。　Want　a　couple　of

cookies　and　a　glass　of　milk？〃

〃I　think　I'll　watch　for　Dad。〃

〃I　don't　think　he'll　be　home　much　before　five。〃

〃Maybe　he'll　be　early。〃

〃Maybe；〃　she　agreed。　〃Maybe　he　will。〃

She　was　halfway　up　the　walk　when　he　called；　〃Mommy？〃

〃What；　Danny？〃

〃Do　you　want　to　go　and　live　in　that　hotel　for　the　winter？〃

Now；　which　of　five　thousand　answers　should　she　give　to　that　one？　The　way　she

had　felt　yesterday　or　last　night　or　this　morning？　They　were　all　different；　they

crossed　the　spectrum　from　rosy　pink　to　dead　black。

She　said：　〃If　it's　what　your　father　wants；　it's　what　I　want。〃　She　paused。

〃What　about　you？〃

〃I　guess　I　do；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Nobody　much　to　play　with　around　here。〃

〃You　miss　your　friends；　don't　you？〃

〃Sometimes　I　miss　Scott　and　Andy。　That's　about　all。〃

She　went　back　to　him　and　kissed　him；　rumpled　his　lightcolored　hair　that　was

just　losing　its　baby…fineness。　He　was　such　a　solemn　little　boy；　and　sometimes

she　wondered　just　how　he　was　supposed　to　survive　with　her　and　Jack　for　parents。

The　high　hopes　they　had　begun　with　came　down　to　this　unpleasant　apartment

building　in　a　city　they　didn't　know。　The　image　of　Danny　in　his　ca