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Show 124 started. Matches are on the mantle." "I can handle it," John grinned as he pushed back his chair. At that point, Jan suggested three cheers for the cooks, so breaking up dinner became a noisy affair. Dyna and Parker cleaned up the paper plates and cups, dividing the last sausage, then set the room back in order and joined the others. One step down into the darkened front room and Dyna's face lit up, with choice memories as much as with firelight. Many times over the years Gram, the MUms and Oscar sat right here in front of the fieldstone fireplace, talking about the old days or hard times or government, things that didn't interest Dyna. She'd be in the rocking chair day-dreaming or outside playing. One Sunday while she and Gram were visiting by themselves, she pretended to be a young pioneer girl growing up in the 1860's when the house was new. She'd pretended that all afternoon until she really was a girl from another time, waiting for her sweetheart to come home from the war. She'd made herself so sad she cried in bed that night because she knew she'd lost her love forever. She still remembered his name-Clinton Talley-and he had curly hair like her father's. Dyna sat down on the floor beside Debbie and waited for Oscar to hook his wire frame glasses over his ears. Once in awhile, as at this moment, she felt a surge of desolation that nearly choked her. They couldn't live forever, Gram and Oscar. The Mums were even older. Her dad was never coming back; she'd finally accepted that. Her three weeks alone had been all the preview she needed of how bleak life would be without some kind of family. Then Dyna realized Mrs. Simpson was talking and abruptly brought herself back with the class. "The dinner was so good, Oscar," her teacher was saying. "We really appreciate your inviting us here, but I'm afraid this was a lot of trouble for you." Oscar's face glowed. "Dyna says you have a surprise for us? Is that true?" "Yes . . . yes, I do." Oscar fumbled with a flat metal box he held on one knee. "Last week, Dyna was here helping me tidy up the place. |
