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Show CHAPTER FIFTEEN That next week began with a disappointment. Or that is, what at first appeared as if it would be a disappointment. The following Tuesday evening Robbie and she were to have gone to Aunt Mary's for her birthday-their great aunt, really, she was their mother's aunt; the only relative left, in fact, on their mother's side. But Robbie phoned and said he had to leave town. It was a business trip, to Washington. He was to go with a team which was to make a series of presentations in conjunction with a multimillion dollar bid on some government contract. He wouldn't go, he said, but he had to: this was far and away the most important assignment he'd had with the company, he hadn't expected something like this for at least another couple of years. She was excited for him, she said, she hoped he did well. "But Robbie, she's going to be awfully disappointed. We haven't been out there since last summer." And she, too, had been looking forward to going. "I know." The touch of pain in his voice came through the receiver. "I know that. But I've been thinking: you've already cleared that night with Katie, right?" "Yes, that's all taken care of." "Well, how would it be if you went out by yourself?" "That would be okay, I guess." No, she would not mind going alone. "But how would I get home? I'm not going to wait at some bus stop-especially after dark-in that neighborhood." "No, I wouldn't want that either. But I thought maybe you |