The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-17
THE WILMINGTON MORNING STAR, WILMINGTON, \. C.
E. IA: HAyE88 ~: K t!!:j|
Distributed yMH mrySm hmn \ i JANk

accord. She answered quietly,
! smiling a little: There's no not
letting your father do anything
he's set on!"
"But he does listen to ycu!"
Diane protested. 1--we seen you
wind him round your finger, when
you wanted to. You might have,
When it was about me-"
Paula drew a long length OF
thread slowly off her spool. Il did
speak once. Once when you were
first off to school. He was sending
you a check. It looked to me much
too big for a girl no older than
you were, and l said so. He an
sweced something about a promise
he'd made to himself when your
mother died. That her child'd have
everything he'd wanted her tc
have. I think everything he's done
for you he's thought of that way,
He sees her, when it's YOU"
mot very fair to me-" Diane
put in hotly. Then she was divert
ed from that unfairness by a sud-
den thought. Paula. aren't you
ever jealous of that?"
Paula hesitated, and for the mo-
ment her face, illumined, had
beauty. No." she said finally,
shyly. He's got room in his heart
for both Of us. ! never wanted to
take her place.. All I've wanted
was to make one of my own"
+ q" guess you have" Diane
laughed. Dads calling out to you
the minute he opens the door!
You'd think he didn't know how
to take off his coat and hat with
out you to help him." And then
she sighed so wistfully that Paula
looked up at her.
what did you mean, child,
about not being good for any
thing? 1 thought you were man.
aging very WE'LL"
ooh, money and the cooking!
That isn't it! It's-I'm frivolous,
Paula! Bill won't like it when he
realizes that that is all l am. And
I don't know how to make myself
over!"
There were tears in DANES
voice as well as appeal. Paula did
not smile; she was touched by it.
The more because she could re-
member how often, the first year
she was married to Joe, she had
longed to make herself over. Only
she had thought she wasn't frivol.
GUS enough!
HE wanted you, just you as you
are" she said, land there's nc
telling why. It's mans nature. And
it S women's worry, when they
don't seem to fit in right off.
don't suppose there v e was a
bride who didn't some time OF
other. Maybe it's that you're SC
close, things III out of focus for
awhile. 1t takes time. I sometimes
think it's a good thing for a girl
to have a baby right off, for then
her mind is on that"
"Paula!" Diane sat so straight
that the satin pillows tumblec
about her. "How awfully quaint
you are! "A little child brings them
together!' Don't you know that's
outdated?" But her laugh broke
off abruptly; a deep color flew te
her checks She crossed to Paula's
chair, kissed the top of her head,
where the grazing hair was
smoothly parted. you're a dear,
wise old thing! But it's all wasted
on me because the truth is I'm
only hungry! I didn't eat anything
at the apartment. Bill didn't come
home for dinner. He had to stay
at the office. I hate to be left with
myself. By any chance is there
food below"
"Why didn't you say you were
hunger?" Paula folded her work
put it in the basket. She knew
Diane would tell her nothing more
We'll go downstairs and I'll fiz
you something"
But when the food was before
her, Diane had to force herself tc
eat. Growing in her was a sharp
excitement, half-alarm. She ate SO
that Paula would not guess it. She
kept up a run of inconsequentia]
chatter. Paula must see that her
spirits lifted with the food; that
that outburst of hers was only be-
cause she was tired and hungry.
For Paula's benefit she exaggerat-
ed her activities of the day. 1--WE
were in the pool, simply for hours!
In fact, that's where we've been
living these days"
In the pool. And she'd thought,
when she thought about it. that it
was because of that! She was the
quaint one, positively Victorian.
And she had considered herself so
informed!
She did not offer to help Paula
clear the dishes she had used. II
must u along home. Bill may be
there" She longed to rush out OF
the house, away from Paula, to
face, alone this possibility which
had dcawed On her. At the door
she squeezed Paula's hand, said,
"By,' briefly, ran down the steps
without turning to look at Paula
or to lift a hand.
She walked toward the Chatham
Arms without any consciousness Of
motion, of the pavement under her
feet, of the people she passed. Her
thoughts tumbled on one another.
II was crazy not to think it might
be that-but maybe it isn't
how'll l know? Simpleton, you'll
know next week-but I want to
know now"
What will Bill say?"
(To Be Continued
As requested in the will of the
I1ofo Co1o~op Cfornhoruor q obaoL