"Yellow Submarine."
Dinner was a light makeshift meal of sandwiches, but Gayle tossed a huge salad and put out a platter piled high with fresh fruit, so Bryn's health-conscious-for-the-children's-sake mind was pleased. The more she saw of Gayle and Phil, the more she liked them, and the more reassured she felt. It was just going to be difficult to tell the boys.
After they had all eaten, Bryn accompanied the boys upstairs. Gayle and Barbara had handled everything well; in the strange house they had put all three in one room, bringing in a cot to slide next to the double bed. The children'spajamas were all under their pillows, and their toothbrushes were neatly lined up in the bathroom. Bryn started to help them change,then decided it was time to talk.
"How would you guys like to really play Indians?" she asked enthusiastically.
Too much had happened recently. Three pairs of suspicious eyes turned her way. "What do you mean?"
Brian asked, his voice quavering.
Bryn smiled, although the tightness of her face told her how plastic it must look. "Gayle is Lee's sister, you know. She and her husband are going to go up and stay with Lee's grandfather. And he's a real Indian."
"Isn't Lee a real Indian?" Keith asked.
Bad terminology on her part, Bryn decided. Kids learned too fast in the schools these days, she thought ruefully. "Of course he's real.Or half real. Oh, never mind!You're purposely not understanding me! Lee's grandfather lives on a hill by a stream, and he lives just as they did a hundred years ago!" They were still staring at her blankly. "He lives in ateepee ," she tried."A realteepee ."
Adam's lip started quivering. Great big tears splashed to his cheeks.
But it was Brian who spoke again. "You're trying to send us away, aren't you?"
"No!" Bryn protested. "I just wanted to let you have a little vacation, that's all. Adam!"
Balling his little hands into fists, Adam ran past her and into the hall. Bryn took off after him, only to pause in the doorway when she saw that Lee was coming--with the squalling Adam raised high in his arms.
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"What's all this about?" he queried. Adam kept squalling. Brian faced Lee defiantly."Us going away!"
Bryn stared at Lee reproachfully. Things would work out fine, huh?her eyes asked him.
"Are you going to marry my aunt? Is that why you're trying to get rid of us?''
"What?" Lee demanded sharply. But then he laughed, setting Adam down on the cot beside him and reaching out a hand to Brian. "Come here, Brian," he said quietly. "We need to talk."
Bryn, wishing she could sink into the floor, watched as Brian stared at Lee's hand for a long while. But then he took it and walked over to stand before Lee.
"Brian, you know that some strange things have been happening lately, don't you?"
"Yes, sir," Brian murmured.
"I swear to you, Brian, I just want you to be safe. Can you understand that?"
Brian shuffled his feet and stared down at them. Keith suddenly walked over to the pair and asserted himself, placing his hand on Lee's shoulder. "I understand," he said with remarkable maturity.
Brian grudgingly looked up. "How long?" he asked miserably.
"Not long at all!" Lee said, tousling his hair. "Your aunt and I will be up to meet you in...say...two weeks, tops."
"Does your grandfather really live in ateepee ?" Brianasked, a note of excitement in his voice.
"Sure does. He can show you all kinds of neat things.How to build a sweat lodge. Carve figures. I'll bet he'll even make you a jacket out of skins if you ask him." "Wow," Keith murmured.
Lee glanced at Bryn triumphantly. She could see the taunt in his eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking: "Star Wars, huh?"
But just as she started to assume that things were going well, Adam started howling again. Bryn scooped him into her arms. "Adam! You'll just be away for two weeks without me, Adam. I swear it, Adam...I promise..."
I can't do this, Bryn thought. I can't make him go away.
But could she take a risk with him--or with Brian or Keith--again? He had been taken from her once, now she had him back. But would she get him back a second time.
"Adam!" Bryn soothed. She walked over to the bed with him, set him down and lay beside him. Lee followedher, sitting on Adam's other side. The tears continued to slide down the little boy's cheeks, and Bryn thought her heart would surely break.
"Adam! Don't you know how much I love you? I would never, never in a thousand years let you stay away long. I promise, Adam, I'll be there for you, all of my life!"
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His tears subsided to soft sobs; she wiped them from his cheeks. He drew a long, shaky breath as she smoothed back his hair.
"I'll always love you, Adam," she repeated softly. "I'll always be there for you."
As usual, when he was upset, his r slurred.' 'Pwomise ?'' "I promise, Adam!"