Page 158

"What happened?"

"I don't know."

A maid helped Aunt Sara from the bathroom.

"I'm sorry," Aunt Sara wailed. "I've ruined everyone's good time. I'm sorry, Olivia," she said from the doorway. Grandma Olivia was sitting on the settee, alone in the sitting room. The judge and Grandpa Samuel had been banished outside to smoke their cigars. Grandma Olivia had accused them and their smoke of turning Aunt Sara's stomach.

"Men and their filthy habits," she remarked. "Get her some fresh air, Jacob."

"Right, Ma. Say good night and thank you," he muttered at us. Cary paused in the doorway first and did so. Then May followed, signed, and smiled. Grandma Olivia closed and opened her eyes as a response. They followed Uncle Jacob and I paused.

"What's that in your hand?" she demanded before I could utter a word. Apparently, she had eyes like an eagle.

"An old picture of my mother and father," I replied.

"So Cary's taken you into the basement," she said nodding. I thought she was going to become furious. That, on top of everything else, would turn Uncle Jacob into a volcano. However, Grandma Olivia just sighed deeply and shook her head. "I don't know why, but he and Laura used to love spending the most beautiful afternoons in that hole under the house." She caught herself and grew stiff again. "You better hurry along. Sara needs to go to bed."

"Yes, Grandma." My heart was pounding. Cary, May, and Uncle Jacob were at the door following the maid and Aunt Sara out of the house. "I was

wondering," I said quickly, so I could hold on to my courage, "if I could come by to see you by myself."

"See me?" She pulled her head back. "When?"

"As soon as possible. Tomorrow after school?"

She looked amused by the idea and then stiffened her lips. I was sure she was going to brush me off, but she turned toward the wall and said, "I'll be in my garden tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you, Grandma Olivia," I said. "I'm sorry about Aunt Sara." She turned back to me and I forced a smile and hurried after everyone.

Grandpa Samuel and the judge were standing off to the side watching the maid escort Aunt Sara to the car. The smoke from their cigars spiraled into the night.

"Just give her some bicarbonate, Jacob," Grandpa Samuel said.

"That's what comes of a steady diet of plain and simple food, Jacob. Take your wife out for a restaurant meal once in a while." the judge suggested with a grin.

"Feed her poison so she gets used to it? No thank you," Uncle Jacob said.

The judge roared. He looked at me. "Good night, Little Haille," he said. "Don't forget to practice that fiddle."

We got into the car. Aunt Sara had her head back. The maid had given her a wet cloth to put over her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Jacob," she said. "It just all started bubbling in my stomach."

"Let's not talk about it, Sara. It will only make it worse." He drove home as quickly as he could.

For the whole ride back, May sat forward holding Aunt Sara's hand and looking concerned. Cary tried signing that she would be all right, but May remained near tears until we got Aunt Sara into the house and into bed.

Finally, my aunt's color returned and she told us she was more comfortable. She kept apologizing to Uncle Jacob, who finally said it was all right. He thought the food was too rich and admitted he had a hard time holding it down himself.

"Get some sleep now," he declared. May kissed her mother good night and we left the bedroom.

"I'm just going to listen to some news on the radio," Uncle Jacob told Cary. "See that your sister gets to bed."

"Aye," Cary said. He turned to me and I helped him get May into her room and calmed enough to go to sleep. Afterward, we paused awkwardly in the hall.

"I wonder what happened to the whale on the beach," I said.

"Let's change and go see," he suggested.