The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-14
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'Iof the big papers Or maya
zines"
"He doesn't want that"
"How do you know what he
wants?. He'll grow tired of
skimping along, living in a
house that's falling down on his
head, worrying about the bills
his father left and the puny
circulation. He could be a big
and powerful man. He could
write above the heads Of those
farmers he writes for now"
"You forget, Teresa, Sam is
a farmer"
Teresa nodded self-assuredly.
"It's just a phase. Post = wal
sort of thing. You have to go
along with them until they
come out Of it. I've had no
lunch. This cocktail has gone
straight to my head. No. Suzy,
you may not take the muff in
to dinner, darling. And try,
please, not to drop everything.
Perhaps your father was right
in, insisting that you have din
ner with me but he isn't here to
see that there are more pota-
toes on the carpet than in your
tummy."
Your father Your father j,
"You're very quiet tonight,
Alison"
cam 1? More than usual?"
Suzy reluctantly put the muff
aside and rushed ahead as An
nette announced dinner.
After dinner Teresa went to
the kitchen to talk. to Annette
about the menu for tomorrow's
dinner. Special for Sam. Alison
went upstairs with Suzy and
waited while the child played
with a toy swan in her tub. Suzy
was hilarious tonight, full of
nonsense and mischief. Alison
put her candy-striped pajamas
on her, turned down her bed,
kissed her goodnight. Teasing
1y Suzy chung to her hand, beg
ging for a sotry, a "real" story,
an amusing episode from Ali
sons own childhood. SuZy was
more diverted by "real" stories
than by fairy tales. A few min
utes later she turned on her
side, clutched the rag doll.
Alison turned out the light
raised the window and closed
the door. The quiet end of a
child's day.
Downstairs she found Teresa
reading a news magazine. She
glanced up quickly at Alsion
and with a deft finger, a finger
that never missed or fumbled
or turned two pages instead Of
one, turned a page. Teresa
seemed to read a page at a
glance. She had enormous and
enviable powers of concentra-
ton. She did not learn patiently
step by step. She seemed to
seize a subject and grasp it
with her whole being. She had
small patience with waiting.
Alison picked up her knitting.
The needles would not obey.
They wanted to fall out of her
hand. She dropped stitches. The
wool stuck to her moist hands.
She put it aside, got up and
spread her hands toward the
fire. Her breathing seemed to
be loud and labored like that
of a person on the operating
table. Outside a siren walled.
She picked up her knitting
again and made herself do 10
rows without stopping.
Teresa lay the magazine on
the table. She touched her
smooth face, saying, 81 haven't
had time for a facial for weeks.
No reason why l can't give my
self one" She flicked a bit of
ash from her white blouse. eff
I can slip out for a few hours
tomorrow I'll look for a dinner
dress. The war is over. I must
get the habit of dressing for
dinner again when there are
guests =. . You've been work.
ing on that sweater for months.
How much longer are you 60
ing to be? Well, I'm going to
putter around a bit with SELF
improvement. This new cream
I have is quite good. Good
night. You'll see, that the doors
are locked. and that the ash
trays are washed before you
come up, won't your"
eyes"
Teresa stood up. Her hands
on her slim hips were like a
caress as she smoothed down
her skirt. Her face had an i'm
perishable quality as though
age would not dare strike it
ever. Gold lights shimmered in
her hair. Alison glanced quick
ly at. her hair and then away.
She felt as if she were blushing.
The color, of Teresa's hair had
changed. It was lighter. 1t was
like Kitty's who had bleached,
hers. Teresa was bleaching her.
hair.
.Teresa's- eyes were making
fun of her. "You're very quiet
tonight. But then F suppose you