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Show 19-9 We all looked at him and listened to his quiet words, words that he spoke easily and without emotion. I notice Mother swallowed loudly several times and Father puffed a little harder on his pipe. Andrew sighed and grinned at me. "So they just sit back and enjoy watching you and me visit." He glanced at Mother. "And some of them may be afraid of saying too much. You know, some are still pretty unhappy and upset over what happened to them. And they don't want to let on to anyone. Least of all, a little gi . . . I mean, a young lady like Annie." Father grunted. Mother nodded slowly and then excused herself to see to dinner. She paused for a moment at the door, turned and seemed about to say something. But she closed the door and went on in. Father watched her leave and then went back to his pipe. Ruth asked about a friend of hers at St. John's. I asked Andrew if he'd like to see the backyard before it got too dark. He patted the kittens and admired the flowers and then I showed him the motorcycle. He stood and looked at it for a moment without speaking. Then he whistled. "What I wouldn't give ..." "Would you like to ride it, Andrew?" I looked up at him. "Father said you could. I've been saving it as a surprise for you. Oh, it's the most wonderful feeling, like flying." Andrew knelt by the bike and ran his good hand along the length of the gleaming pipes. He put his hands on the handlebars. The bandaged hand couldn't quite curl around it. He lifted his hands and stepped back. "It's fine. Real fine." I took his hand. "Let's go eat and then maybe after dinner we can go ride." He watched as I carefully closed the garage doors and he was quiet as we went inside through the kitchen. Mother asked us to help carry food onto the table. |