him　again；　and　Danny's　eyes　suddenly　cleared。　His　toothbrush　fell

out　of　his　hand　and　onto　the　tiled　floor　with　a　small　click。

〃What？〃　he　asked；　looking　around。　He　saw　his　father　kneeling　before　him；　Wendy

standing　by　the　wall。　〃What？〃　Danny　asked　again；　with　rising　alarm。　〃W…W…Wuh…

What's　wr…r…r　—　〃

〃Don't　stutter！〃　Jack　suddenly　screamed　into　his　face。　Danny　cried　out　in

shock；　his　body　going　tense；　trying　to　draw　away　from　his　father；　and　then　he

collapsed　into　tears。　Stricken；　Jack　pulled　him　close。　〃Oh；　honey；　I'm　sorry。

I'm　sorry；　doc。　Please。　Don't　cry。　I'm　sorry。　Everything's　okay。〃

The　water　ran　ceaselessly　in　the　basin；　and　Wendy　felt　that　she　had　suddenly

stepped　into　some　grinding　nightmare　where　time　ran　backward；　backward　to　the

time　when　her　drunken　husband　had　broken　her　son's　arm　and　had　then　mewled　over

him　in　almost　the　exact　same　words。

（Oh　honey。　I'm　sorry。　I'm　sorry；　doc。　Please。　So　sorry。）

She　ran　to　them　both；　pried　Danny　out　of　Jack's　arms　somehow　（she　saw　the　look

of　angry　reproach　on　his　face　but　filed　it　away　for　later　consideration）；　and

lifted　him　up。　She　walked　him　back　into　the　small　bedroom；　Danny's　arms　clasped

around　her　neck；　Jack　trailing　them。

She　sat　down　on　Danny's　bed　and　rocked　him　back　and　forth；　soothing　him　with

nonsensical　words　repeated　over　and　over。　She　looked　up　at　Jack　and　there　was

only　worry　in　his　eyes　now。　He　raised　questioning　eyebrows　at　her。　She　shook　her

head　faintly。

〃Danny；〃　she　said。　〃Danny；　Danny；　Danny。　'S　okay；　doc。　'S　fine。〃

At　last　Danny　was　quiet；　only　faintly　trembling　in　her　arms。　Yet　it　was　Jack

he　spoke　to　first；　Jack　who　was　now　sit