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