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Show 15-4 "Grandmother, is this all?" "Yes, I put them all here." Her hand rested on the medals, protectively. I heard Grandfather in the kitchen washing his hands. Maybe he would know. Grandmother continued to touch the medals, telling me about each one and when Paul had received them. Most had come after he died. Grandfather came in and sat down heavily in the heavy chair across from us. "Oof, it's hot." Grandmother said nothing, did not scold him as I thought she might. She was not thinking of him now. "Grandmother, Andrew says Uncle Paul should have had one more medal, one for being hurt and killed." I glanced at her. She seemed not to have heard me. I looked at Grandfather for help. He wiped his face with his handkerchief and then held it in his hand as he looked at me. I could feel myself getting red. "He just said that everyone who was wounded got that one. It's shaped like a heart." Grandfather must have forgotten about the medal, forgotten that I'd ever mentioned it. "Well, no doubt that Paul was wounded. Maybe just an oversight. Not worth fussing over. Your grandmother loves those medals but I can't see they're worth much. Not when you think what they replaced." He pushed himself out of the chair and I jumped up to help him. He looked tired and was breathing heavily. I glanced at Grandmother but she seemed not to know he was in the room. I helped him down the hall to the bedroom, took off his shoes and helped him lie down on the bed. "I appreciate Andrew's concern, Annie. I gather he has that one ribbon himself." Grandfather wiped at his face again. "Yes and it's beautiful. A black heart with a man's face on it." |