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"I know," he said "I know" His voice was full of resignation "All right, I'll go along with you Should we take Jacob along?"

"No, he'll only wonder where my father is and I don't have time for that," I said What I really meant was it would be too emotionally difficult for me, even with Thelma's assistance

In fact, the entire visit was e to me ever since Mother's death and then Daddy's stroke It was a shell of what it had been It was hard to enter it now and envision the grand dinner parties, the laughter and music, even Belinda's reat job of that, and that hy I wanted to meet with her as soon as possible to explain what I wanted her to do

"I'd like you to remain awhile and keep the house up so it shohen the real estate agents bring prospective buyers around, Effie I will give you six months salary when you are terminated here, and of course, I'll do my best to find you another position in the area, if you like I've always been quite pleased with your work"

"Thank you, Mrs Logan That will be fine," she said I roundskeeper

I wasn't physically able to go through the whole house and look at everything, planning on what I wanted to bring back to our home and what I wanted to donate or sell, but I did wander through the first floor and spent some time in Daddy's den while Sa there, I couldn't help but recall my many private talks with Daddy He always treated ard for my abilities I wondered how often he had looked at hter, born of his blood How important family meant to him, so important that he would shat would have certainly choked most men

There was so so ar hu the elelass cases and his prize knives alongside theures on the corner table He was proud of his room, proud of his home and proud of what he had accoht

I rose and walked to the rear of the house Sa at the sea Off to the right by the trees was the unrave No one but me kneas buried there It put a chill in me for a moment when I recalled Daddy's look of terror as he placed the wrapped fetus and afterbirth in that box and then disappeared into the night to bury Belinda's sins, which were sins visited on all our heads

"Sa faint," I said

He hurried back I paused to gaze once ht, soon, soon I'll sell all this and never return

Less than a week later, I went into terrible contractions and was rushed to the hospital where I gave birth to our second child, a boy e named Chester for

Sarandfather I kneas disappointed He had wanted a girl and so had Daddy

I remained in the hospital for three days after Chester's birth Belinda came the second day to see the baby and visit old blouse and a dark blue skirt With her hair tied back neatly, Belinda looked young and vibrant Lying in the hospital bed after just having given birth, I didn't feel very pretty Never did the contrast between us seem more vivid

"Don't worry about Sa after him Jacob's very excited about his new brother, too I took him for a walk yesterday," she said

"Youlike an aunt?"