Page 9 (1/2)

"She's doing fine, Winston," Mother said

"That's good It's better we behave as if this didn't happen," he advised

"You ht as well pretend there's no ocean out there," I declared

"Your father's right, Olivia It won't do any good to talk about it, even aine it was a nightested

It didn't surpriseIt was the way Mother handled most of the unpleasantness in her life Not even an event like this would be any different

She leaned over to kiss Belinda who smiled at her, and then she left the roo in at me, at the floor and then at Belinda

"Everyone just go to sleep," he said and left

I looked at Belinda She offered me her small smile, but I just shook my head at her

"I'm so tired, Olivia," she said "I feel so weak inside, too, but I didn't want to alaro to a doctor"

"You'll live," I said "Just go to sleep"

I checked the roo in the doorway to look back at her She looked sain In moments she was asleep

I lay awake in ht about that dead infant whose spark of life went out so quickly and as interred sorounds so soon afterward, he surely had noborn into this family

At the ht, he was the lucky one

Belinda remained at home for the rest of the week We told everyone she had the flu I thought that Carht Belinda herHowever, Mother pampered her and behaved as if our lies were really the truth I heard her talking to her friends on the telephone, telling them how sick Belinda was

"One day she was fine and the next, she was as sick as a dog," she ra she had phoned the doctor for instructions