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Show 19-11 to stay, to go upstairs and sleep in the spare room and never leave. He belonged here with all of us who cared about him. I noticed Mother watching him and once when she moved behind him to pull back the curtain, she rested her hand on his shoulder. Then Father pushed back his chair and grinned at me. "Do you have something to show Andrew, Annie?" "I've already asked him. He wants to. Can we go now?" Father chuckled and led us out to the garage. He wheeled the bike out onto the driveway. "Let Andrew go once alone, Annie. He needs to get the feeling of the bike without you on it." Andrew carefully climbed onto the bike and eased down onto the seat. He put his hand out to the handlebars and again tried to grip with his bandaged hand. He looked up at Father. "Wait a minute, Andrew. Here." Father wrapped a rag around the end of the handlebar, making it fatter so that Andrew's hand fit snugly about it. Then Father showed him where the gears and brakes were. "I rode one while I was in school. Not so big as this one. But it was a lot the same." "You'll manage fine. Just watch out for the blasted dogs. They all try to take a bit out of the wheels." Andrew pushed down on the pedal and Father pulled me back away from the motorcycle. I stood in front of him, his arms around me. I waved to Andrew. "Have fun. Be careful." He turned to look at both of us and all I could see were his eyes, shining, glowing in the starlight. He lifted his hands, almost in the same salute he had given me earlier. Then he drove down the driveway and around the car. I ran after him following him out to the dark street. |