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Show CHAPTER SIXTEEN Mother met us at the back door that evening. "Did you find anything?" She looked at Father anxiously. "Katherine, for heaven's sake, let me get in the door." Father brushed past her and went to the sink to get a drink of water. Mother stood by the door, her hands clasped in front of her. "You mean about the medal, Mother?" She looked at me frowning. "What medal, Annie?" "It's not that, Annie. And Katherine, we'll talk about it later." "Larry, I want to . . ." "I said later. Not now." And he left the kitchen. We had another quiet dinner. Father wasn't talking much now so if I wanted conversation I would have had to have it with myself. I was miserable. My parents so seldom seriously quarreled or were angry with each other that I was not used to the heavy feeling that hung around the table and made every bite hard to swallow. It was as if the food had thickened, along with the air around us. I wanted to tell Mother about Andrew's offer to help find out about the medal, but this was not the time. I wanted the meal to be over so I could escape outside. As soon as I'd cleared the table, I went out to find the kittens. Before I left the kitchen, I heard Mother's voice and then Father's answer. Emily rang the front door bell a while later and when I came around the house to find her, I saw that my parents were still sitting at the table and talking. |
