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"Weigh her down with more responsibilities, more decisions."

"We'll yes her to death." Mommy said. "We'll overwhelm her with respect and cooperation until she runs off exhausted into the wings."

I laughed.

"Oh Mommy. I can't wait for you to come home."

She asked me about school and I told her about the play and Miss Hamilton's giving me a script.

"It's a wonderful play. Do go out for it, honey. I'd love to see you on the stage, a real stage with a real audience and not just our little attic room of makebelieve, okay?"

"I'll think about it," I said.

"Good." She closed her eyes. "Good."

Her condition made it possible for her to turn on sleep in an instant. I saw her breathing become regular, slow, and felt her on my hand soften. Gently, I pulled away and sat back, watching her for a while.

She's coming home. I thought, Mommy's coming home.

I left the hospital with bounce in my steps. I felt I could do battle with anyone or anything again. I would go out for the play. I wouldn't be afraid of competing. I could even handle Grandmother Beverly until Mommy came home, and as for Daddy... I would pretend I knew nothing and let his own conscience boil in his heart.

Grandmother Beverly was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. I hated to admit it, but the aroma of the roast chicken and baked potatoes made me hungy. It all smelled so good. She greeted me and told me Daddy was coming home and would visit Mammy after dinner.

"So we're eating as soon as he arrives." she informed me. "Put your things away and come down to set the table."

"Mommy's better," I told her. "She's a lot better." She nodded.

"I know all about it," she said as if that was the least important thing and went back to preparing dinner.

I hurried upstairs. I wouldn't return to the hospital with Daddy later. I thought. I didn't want to ride with him. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep what I knew to myself. Anyway, tomorrow were the auditions for the play and I did want to study the part, even memorize some of it to impress everyone.

Just as I put my books down and started to change my clothes, the phone rang. It was Clarence.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner," I told him as soon as I heard his voice. "I went right to the hospital. My mother is better. She'll be coming home soon. She's better. Clarence."

"I'm glad." he said, but the heavy tone in his voice told me something was very, very wrong.

"What happened? Why did your father come to school for you?"

"Your grandmother called him this morning at the office," he said. My heart stopped and started.

"What?"

"She told him everything she saw. She threatened all sorts of things, including a lawsuit. All this after I cut school and he had grounded me, too," he added. "Then he saw the letter about my fighting and it was like lighting a wick on a stick of dynamite. I never saw him this angry. My mother's just as angry. They had a meeting about me and they've decided to send me to the Brooks Academy. My father's always threatened to do that."

"Boarding school? When?"

"Immediately," he said.

"How can they do that?"

"You don't know my father. When he makes up his mind, he goes to work and moves mountains out of his way." Clarence took a breath. "I'm leaving tomorrow.'"

"Tomorrow! You're kidding?"

"I wish I was," he said.

"Well, why are you going? Don't go, Clarence."