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"A fact that has kept ht"

"Don’t worry, Auntie Cil I’ I want you to remember" She backed toward the French doors "You kno athletes are alaving at TV caet the chance to say ‘Hi, Mo to you"

A few moments later Cilia returned to the table, but not before brushing both eyes with a knuckle, leaving a nearly i children," she said "You try to do the best you can You worry that you’reSilk?" I asked

"Twelve years"

"From what I can see, you’ve done a pretty fair job"

"With all due respect, Mr McKenzie, hoould you know?"

"She doesn’t act dreary and tired and hopeless, as if her life were already behind her, like so ers do She smiles as if she has a lot to smile about, and when she speaks she looks you in the eye"

The way she nodded, I got the impression that Cilia was pleased with my answer

"We should find out soon, in any case," she said She tapped the top of the glass table with a fingernail "Nohen you learn what kind of parent you are Nohen your children are fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and they’re faced with real choices--when they have to decide for the, what’s important and what isn’t, what they’ll do and what they won’t Nohen they have to decide what kind of people they’re going to be"

I took a sip of tea What did my choices say about my own parents? I wondered

"Sorry," Cilia said "I don’t mean to sound so"

"Maternal?"

She nodded "I’ood kid A s Still, you try to protect her All parents feel that way, I suppose"

"Tell hter"

Cilia drank lass down as if she were afraid it s happen accidentally I believe you earn the life you live MerodieWhere do we begin? Before the alcohol took its toll, she was stunningly beautiful Thewohter Unlike her daughter, however, Merodie had no self-esteem, no sense of self-worth None If you’ve met her parents"

"I’ve met herelse happened, as well I believe behaviorists refer to it as a significant e to ood manners, a pleasant appearance, and plenty of led her into elegant bars He gave her expensive gifts He not only told her that she was beautiful and special, he treated her as if she were I know because the man was my brother, Robert He enty-four and she was fifteen My brother didn’t care about the age difference Nor did he care about Merodie Not really My brother cared only about as pretty He used it and abused it and often he broke it The fact that he was corrupting ato hinant She went to hie My brother rejected her without a moment’s hesitation It’s an old story, I’

"Like a lot ofements could be made, Robert was killed in an accident He drove his car off River Road in a snowstorm while under the influence of alcohol