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Show in my father's house/ 38 rounder prettiness of Aunt Sarah. And sandwiched in the middle were the 'runts' of the family -- shorter than the others and somehow stunted by early marriage. But Aunt Elsa's youthful voice sprang with conviction to uphold Aunt Rachel's soft, slurring second soprano. Suddenly I noticed tears rolling unchecked down my father's cheeks. "Does your tummy still hurt, Daddy?" I asked. He did not answer. The mothers also wept -- all but Aunt Gerda, who frequently stated in her quick, clipped way, "I spent all my tears in '44 when we were arrested." As the song ended, I slid off my father's knee and went to my mother. "Why is everyone sad?" My mother dabbed at her eyes and put an arm around me. "Don't worry, darling. We always cry when we sing that song." My father blew his nose with a loud honk. "Beautiful, girls. Just beautiful. Thank you." "Why?" I whispered to my mother. "Why do you always cry?" "It reminds your daddy of his first wife, Aunt Karen. Someday she'll return to him, -- Brother Musser promised. But we're missing so much in the meantime." "I though Aunt Gerda was Daddy's first wife." "Shh. Yes I know. Gerda was married before any of us here -- but Karen was first. She and your daddy have four chil- |