第23部分(第1/7 頁)

him　so。　But　then　my　granddad　pulled　me　aside　and

we　both　retreated　to　our　own　little　corners　of　the　house。

Pacing　around　my　room；　I　had　the　urge　to　go　talk　to　Lyta。　To　tell　her　that　she　was　right；

that　Dad　was　way　out　of　line。　But　I　could　hear　her

through　the　walls；　crying　and　screaming　while　my　mom　tried　to　calm　her　down。　Then　she

stormed　out　of　the　house　to　who…knows…where；　and　my

mom　took　up　with　my　dad　again。

So　I　stayed　put。　And　even　though　the　earth　quit　quaking　around　eleven　o'clock；　there　were

tremors　out　there。　I　could　feel　them。

As　I　lay　in　my　bed　staring　out　the　window　at　the　sky；　I　thought　about　how　my　dad　had　always

looked　down　on　the　Bakers。　How　he'd　put　down　their

house　and　their　yard　and　their　cars　and　what　they　did　for　a　living。　How　he'd　called　them　trash

and　made　fun　of　Mr。　Baker's　paintings。

And　now　I　was　seeing　that　there　was　something　really　cool　about　that　family。　All　of　them。

They　were　just…real。

And　who　were　we？　There　was　something　spinning　wickedly　out　of　control　inside　this　house。

It　was　like　seeing　inside　the　Bakers'　world　had

opened　up　windows　into　our　own；　and　the　view　was　not　a　pretty　one。

Where　had　all　this　stuff　e　from？

And　why　hadn't　I　ever　seen　it　before。

The　Dinner

By　the　time　I　got　home；　I　knew　it　would　be　selfish　of　me　to　boycott　the　Loskis'　dinner　party。

My　mother　had　already　spent　a　lot　of　time　humming　over

pie　recipes　and　going　through　her　closet　for　“something　suitable　to　wear。”　She'd　even　bought

a　new　shirt　for　Dad　and　had　scrutinized　what　the　boys

intended　to　wear。　Obviously　she　was　looking　forward　to　the　dinner—　not　that　I　really

understood　tha