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"We’re not doing this here" Her father’s voice dropped "In er to his open door, she picked up her backpack and headed in that direction Behind her, tight on her heels, her father fell into a full march, and she was not surprised when the carved door clapped shut, closing the in the hearth, cheery light flickering over the leather chairs, the first editions on the s that her father had owned in the Old Country

"Sit down," he snapped, though not loudly

She knew exactly where he wanted her and she went to the chair across fro herself into its antique contours and being sure to keep her pack with her The last thing she wanted was for him to take it away fro represented her freedoether as if he were atte to control hioes out of the hoain and was careful to keep her voice low "I’m not like Allishon"

"You’re out in the human world Just like her"

"I knohere she went It was not to university, Father"

"I’ to discuss the particulars and neither are you What you are going to do is swear to ain That you will stay here and--"

Elise bolted up out of the seat before she are of oing nowhere and doing nothing but needlepoint I want ree, I want to finish what I started! I want a life!"

As he recoiled, he seemed as surprised by the outburst as she was And to defuse the insubordination, Elise sank back down into the chair "I’m sorry, Father I don’t mean to speak rashly, it’s just … why can’t you understand that I want to be free to live?"

"That is not your station and you know it I have been more than lenient with you, but that ti suitable --"

Elise let her head fall back "I want more than that, Father"

"Your first cousin is dead After they already lost their son in the raids! You see the suffering of her parents nightly in this house! Do you want that for me? Do you care so little for hter after I’ve already lost roan, she stared across the desktop The objects upon it--the sterling-silver-framed pictures of her and her mother, the pens in their holders, the ashtray in which one of his pipes sat--were as fas that she had never not known They were also part of the comfort of home, symbols of the security that she at once valued, but also wanted to escape

"Well?" her father said "Do you want that for me?"