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Show 209 after work. And she was thankful for that. This afternoon she would be away from all that-the kids, the cooking-a small joy of expectation surged through her. It was a new day! She was a new person, a different person. Could all that of the past few days-the hold up, Steve quitting-have only happened in the past few days? It did not seem possible. It almost seemed as if these things had not happened to her. Almost as if they had not happened at all. Now, there was an unreality to them. Oh, she would miss Steve- she admitted that to herself. Especially at work. She was glad that she didn't have to work today. And, with a sinking feeling, she realized that more than him, she would miss her dreams of him. But she would not think about that. Not now. She would put that out of her mind. Until later. She glanced down at her new watch. It was a nice watch. An expensive watch. Oscar had given it to her this morning with a simple "Thanks" scrawled on the card. A half hour to go. Father Cooney was now on the true meaning of Christmas, admonishing them that the materialism which pervaded this holiday was no substitue for the fellowship which it was to reflect. The kids were not listening, the thoughts of the new toys which would once again be in their hands-theirs-within the hour held their minds. Only Jeanne-unconsciously fingering her new locket-was receptive, a frown on her attentive face, thinking about what Father Cooney was saying, trying to fit it against what she knew of life. At the other end, David carried a bold sneer on his face, a defiant rejection not only of the sermon, but of the whole congregation, the mass itself. But he took care that Katie and Oscar, sitting in the |
