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Our yearly visit to South Carolina was long anticipated during the winters, and quickly forgotten once ere back and safely snuggled in our little valley where our long redwood house nestled "Safe in the valley where the wind doesn't blow," my reatly distressed her

I reached our curving drive, parked n of Bart or Mo dinner She spent most of her tily plu; fortunately, she smiled most of the time She could order you to do this, do that, and with her s for yourself, which was so my brother Bart refused to do I suspected Emma waited on Bart more than me because he spilled when he tried to pour his own lass of water There wasn't anything he could hold onto, and nothing he could keep fro into Tables fell, lamps toppled If an extension as anywhere in the house Bart would be sure to snag his sneaker toes underneath and down he'd go--or the blender, the mixer, or the radio, would crash to the floor

"Where's Bart?" I asked E potatoes to put in with the roast beef she had in the oven

"I tell you, Jory, I'll be glad when that boy stays in school just as long as you do I hate to see hi and look around and anticipate just what he ot that wall to sit on What is it you boys do up on that wall, anyway?"

"Nothing," I said I didn't want to tell her how often we stole over to the deserted mansion beyond the wall and played there The estate was off-limits to us, but parents weren't supposed to see and know everything Next I asked "Where's Mo her ballet class, which I already knew "Half her class has colds," I explained "But where is she now?"

"Jory, I can't keepA fewup to the attic for old pictures Why don't you join her up there and help her search?"

That was E I was in her way I headed for the attic stairs, which were hidden in the far end of our large walk-in linen closet in the back hall Just as I was passing through the family room I heard the front door open and close Tostock-still in the foyer, a strange look of reflection in his blue eyes, hts I paused, undecided

He headed for his bedroo He had to pass the linen closet with its door slightly ajar He stopped, listening as I was to the faint sound of balletdown the stairs Why was ain? Whenever I asked why she danced in such a dusty place, she explained she was

"compelled" to dance up there, despite the heat and dust "Don't you tell your father about this," she'd warnedup there-- and now she was doing it again

This ti to listen to the excuses she gave him For Dad would catch her!

On tiptoe I trailed him up the steep, narrow stairs He paused directly under the bare electric bulb that hung down from the apex of the attic He riveted his eyes uponas if she didn't see him there She held a dust Cinderella and certainly not Princess Aurora fro Beauty, which was the music she had on the ancient record player

Gosh My stepfather's heart seeht up