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Show 10-3 seemed to move with them as she played, tall, graceful, dressed in white, her hair in a tall knot on the top of her head. I watched her play for several moments until she ended her song, closed the book and folded her hands in front of her on the keys. I pounded down the stairs to get her attention. "Hello, Annie." She turned from the piano to face me. I went to her and kissed her cheek. She looked tired. "Sleep well?" "Yes, Mother. It's still so hot. Can I go over to Grandmother's this morning before I go to see Andrew? And maybe out to see Grandfather? He said he wanted to see me." "Wait one minute, Miss. Slow down. Breakfast first." She got up from the piano. "Then we have to talk." I stayed at the piano, fingering the thick blue book on the music rack, riffling the pages absently, until Mother called me into breakfast. As she always did, she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat across from me while I ate. Only today, instead of our usual chatter, we both sat in silence. I trying hard not to spill my cereal and juice, she avoiding looking at me directly. I felt uncomfortable and she looked the same. Finally I finished, cleared my dishes and then sat across from Mother again. She leaned across the table and covered my hand with hers. "Annie," she began, "I learned a lot yesterday from you and Andrew. As I told you, I watched you there, laughing and talking to him and I felt ashamed of myself." I started to speak and she help up her hand. "Please let me finish. I had misjudged you and your understanding of other People. I was judging you by myself, I guess. You're quite a grown-up lady, Annie." She smiled at me. |