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Show house/.- 426 o direct efforts at missing i t would somehow make the target ore certain, i t s i n e v i t a b i l i t y more t e r r i b l e. Brian turned and smiled sadly at me. At l a s t he spoke. It isn't your family. Don't you know t h a t ? " His eyes were ,eep and empty as fresh graves. I stared, uncomprehending, at him. The dark d i l a t i o n of lis eyes threatened to suck my consciousness into his terror. ; turned away and began rushing about, muttering about being .ate. I didn't want to think about his fear or the source of was .t - even if i t A somehow connected to me - for I couldn't jven deal with my own. I showered thoroughly. I gargled, to wash the odor of :offee from my mouth. I put on my longest dress. I cautioned Brian not to smoke. I walked to the the car as though traveling alone. The drive to the barn was taut as a stretched rubber-band, a pervasive feeling that we would break, springing back to the apartment upon any sudden movement. When we were a safe two or three miles from my uncles garage, I said very carefully and slowly, "You do understand, don't you Brian, that there are almost fifty of us. And some of my brothers and s i s t e r s are married now, with kids of t h e i r own. Most of them will probably be there today." Brian's head swiveled to face me, l i p s t i g h t , eyes veiled. I hurried on, nervously. "I want you to meet the mothers. They're very. . .important. . . to me." That was putting i t mildly. Brian blinked and said nothing. |
