her.”
“She told you about that?”
“Why be surprised? Did you think she’d keep it a secret from her own husband?”
“I was hoping once the baby was gone she’d …”
“Forget?” Jacob glanced at his mother-in-law.
“At least keep it a secret. What good did it do to tell you?”
“I didn’t think less of her, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“You thought less of me, though, didn’t you?”
Jacob planned on letting the conversation drop there.
“Why bring this up now, Jacob? The baby and Cathy are both gone. You and Rosemary don’t gain anything by pointing fingers at me.”
“More like talking behind your back. Maybe that’s what made me uncomfortable.”
“Bullshit!”
The car veered slightly when Jacob turned to look at Mabel.
“What, you don’t think I know how to curse?”
“Ah, but can you spell it?”
“Listen, Cathy hadn’t even finished high school, and I certainly didn’t want to be responsible for raising her bastard child.”
“Two curse words within five minutes. Is this a record?”
“Hypocrite. That’s what you think I am.”
“Now that you brought up the subject. You were the one lecturing me about church. I don’t believe the church approves of abortion.”
“I teach young children. What do you think the parents of those children would feel about a woman who couldn’t even teach her own children right from wrong?”
“You pushed Cathy into getting an abortion so you could keep your job?”
“You have no idea how complicated the situation was.”
“Yes, I do. You didn’t want to face the embarrassment of having a grandchild out of wedlock.”
“Jacob, if you’re going to continue like this, I’d rather you didn’t drive me to the school in the morning.”
“You’re not perfect, Mabel. You didn’t bring up perfect children, and your grandchildren aren’t perfect. Robin has a disease that keeps her in a wheelchair, and Stephen gets into mischief. We all have failings. Live with your own, Mabel, and don’t worry about changing other people.”
“What did Molly do that was so wrong you couldn’t forgive her, Jacob?”
“Like I told you, Mabel, you have to stop worrying about everyone else’s sins.”
“Stephen loves Molly.”
“I told you he took it surprisingly well.”
“Did she do something to him?”
“He hurt his forehead. Not much. Doesn’t even need a Band-Aid.”
“What was he doing?”
“Not clear to me, but I know he was under Molly’s supervision at the time.”
“You should have told me, Jacob.”
“Why?” Self-satisfied, Jacob pulled over in front of the elementary school.
“You think I’m intruding again.” “Nah, I know you are.”
Chapter
26
Molly picked up Stephen from school, and both remained silent during the ride home. Stephen spent the entire time staring out the side window, and Molly kept her radio going, even raised the sound level.
At the front door of the house Molly had a sick feeling she shouldn’t go inside. She wanted to run away, but Stephen couldn’t be trusted to stay by himself. Inside Molly noticed how cold the house felt. Unusually cold. Perhaps the furnace had gone out. Should she go into the basement to check? she wondered. No, she decided they could both keep their jackets on instead. But Stephen didn’t notice the cold; he pulled off his jacket immediately and dropped it on a hall chair.
“Do you want something to eat?” she asked.
“No, I’m on a diet.”
“What for?”
“I eat only food prepared by Dad now.” He crossed in front of her to enter the living room.
“You used to always be hungry.”
“You can’t tell me what to do anymore,” he reminded her as he sat down on the carpet in front of the television.
“Excuse me, Stephen. I’m not about to force food down your throat, but I am still in charge until your father gets home this evening.”
Stephen sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Why do my father and mother not like you?”
“I
“She told you about that?”
“Why be surprised? Did you think she’d keep it a secret from her own husband?”
“I was hoping once the baby was gone she’d …”
“Forget?” Jacob glanced at his mother-in-law.
“At least keep it a secret. What good did it do to tell you?”
“I didn’t think less of her, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“You thought less of me, though, didn’t you?”
Jacob planned on letting the conversation drop there.
“Why bring this up now, Jacob? The baby and Cathy are both gone. You and Rosemary don’t gain anything by pointing fingers at me.”
“More like talking behind your back. Maybe that’s what made me uncomfortable.”
“Bullshit!”
The car veered slightly when Jacob turned to look at Mabel.
“What, you don’t think I know how to curse?”
“Ah, but can you spell it?”
“Listen, Cathy hadn’t even finished high school, and I certainly didn’t want to be responsible for raising her bastard child.”
“Two curse words within five minutes. Is this a record?”
“Hypocrite. That’s what you think I am.”
“Now that you brought up the subject. You were the one lecturing me about church. I don’t believe the church approves of abortion.”
“I teach young children. What do you think the parents of those children would feel about a woman who couldn’t even teach her own children right from wrong?”
“You pushed Cathy into getting an abortion so you could keep your job?”
“You have no idea how complicated the situation was.”
“Yes, I do. You didn’t want to face the embarrassment of having a grandchild out of wedlock.”
“Jacob, if you’re going to continue like this, I’d rather you didn’t drive me to the school in the morning.”
“You’re not perfect, Mabel. You didn’t bring up perfect children, and your grandchildren aren’t perfect. Robin has a disease that keeps her in a wheelchair, and Stephen gets into mischief. We all have failings. Live with your own, Mabel, and don’t worry about changing other people.”
“What did Molly do that was so wrong you couldn’t forgive her, Jacob?”
“Like I told you, Mabel, you have to stop worrying about everyone else’s sins.”
“Stephen loves Molly.”
“I told you he took it surprisingly well.”
“Did she do something to him?”
“He hurt his forehead. Not much. Doesn’t even need a Band-Aid.”
“What was he doing?”
“Not clear to me, but I know he was under Molly’s supervision at the time.”
“You should have told me, Jacob.”
“Why?” Self-satisfied, Jacob pulled over in front of the elementary school.
“You think I’m intruding again.” “Nah, I know you are.”
Chapter
26
Molly picked up Stephen from school, and both remained silent during the ride home. Stephen spent the entire time staring out the side window, and Molly kept her radio going, even raised the sound level.
At the front door of the house Molly had a sick feeling she shouldn’t go inside. She wanted to run away, but Stephen couldn’t be trusted to stay by himself. Inside Molly noticed how cold the house felt. Unusually cold. Perhaps the furnace had gone out. Should she go into the basement to check? she wondered. No, she decided they could both keep their jackets on instead. But Stephen didn’t notice the cold; he pulled off his jacket immediately and dropped it on a hall chair.
“Do you want something to eat?” she asked.
“No, I’m on a diet.”
“What for?”
“I eat only food prepared by Dad now.” He crossed in front of her to enter the living room.
“You used to always be hungry.”
“You can’t tell me what to do anymore,” he reminded her as he sat down on the carpet in front of the television.
“Excuse me, Stephen. I’m not about to force food down your throat, but I am still in charge until your father gets home this evening.”
Stephen sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Why do my father and mother not like you?”
“I
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