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He had told Sara that he didn’t want a party, but of course the woh, thirtyCome by the house after work It’ll just be the five of us I pro deal He picked up Caleb at school and went home to wash, and a little after 1800 they arrived at Sara and Hollis’s aparth the door and into the party that Peter had refused Dozens of people were there, crahbors and co-workers, parents of Caleb’s friends, , who, in her dour gray frock, was laughing and chatting away like everybody else At the door Sara hugged him and wished him happy birthday, while Hollis put a drink in his hand and clapped hi so fiercely they could barely contain themselves "Did you know about this?" Peter asked Caleb "And what about you, Kate?" "Of course we knew!" the boy exclai trouble," Peter said, using his cross-dad voice, though he was laughing, too
There was food, drink, cake, even soe, some of thee straw hat, which Peter put on so everybody could enjoy a laugh From Sara and Hollis, a pocket coh Hollis also slipped hi special," he said with a wink, "and don’t ask ot it I still have friends in low places"
When the last presents had been opened, Sister Peg presented hie piece of paper rolled into a tube Happy Birthday to Our Hero, it read, with the signatures--soe A lu in his throat, Peter put his ar them both "Thank you, everyone," he said "Thank you one and all"
It was close to ht when the party broke up Caleb and Kate had fallen asleep on Sara and Hollis’s bed, the two of theether like a couple of puppies Peter and Sara sat at the table while Hollis cleaned up
"Any word from Michael?" Peter asked her
"Not a peep"
"Are you worried?"
She frowned sharply, then shrugged "Michael’s Michael I don’t get this thing with the boat, but he’s going to do what he wants to do I sort of thought Lore uess that’s done"
Peter felt a stab of guilt; twelve hours ago he’d been in bed with the wo to change the subject
"It’s ababies Lots and lots of babies Jenny’s ar’s sister, whonant, Jenny had returned to Kerrville with the first batch of evacuees and arrived just in tio to another Iowan, though Peter didn’t know if the s were improvised
"She’s sorry she couldn’tdeal to her"