Page 76

get angry. If anything now. I was beginning to resent

Mama's defense of her, especially her understanding

and tolerance. Why was she closing her eyes to the

harmful and damaging effect Betsy was having on all

of us, especially Dave?

Before I reached the porch. I could hear his

shouting. I would quickly learn that he had rushed up

to her room after he had opened the le

tter from the

college informing him and her that she had been

dropped from the college rolls. None of us knew that

she had been dropped from two classes because she

had simply not shown up enough times, and

apparently she had been called into the dean of

students' office twice to discuss her situation. All the

promises she had made, she had broken.

I opened the front door and entered, listening to the litany of charges and complaints Dave was shouting at her up in her room. I closed the door softly and walked down to the living room. Mama was sitting in the rocker with Baby Celeste on her lap, her head against Mama's breast, her eyes opened. She looked to be listening as well. Mama didn't turn to me. She kept gazing out the window, her face remarkably

at peace, actually caught in a beautiful glow. Dave had left Betsy's bedroom door open so it

was impossible not to hear every word.

"Why did you even start this if you knew you

weren't going to do it properly? Just to get me to buy

you a car? Was that it. Betsy?"

"No," we heard.

"Then why? Why? To make a fool of me?" "I don't have to do anything to make a fool of

you. You do enough yourself," she fired back. There was a moment of silence.

Mama's smile widened. Why?

I thought he would just walk out and slam

Betsy's door. but I didn't hear any footsteps.

"What do you intend to do with yourself now,

Betsy?" he finally asked her, his voice quivering. "I don't know. I have other problems, bigger