第24部分(第3/7 頁)

ow…　entrenched；”　Matt　said。　“Gotta　adjust　to　the　perspective　and　deal

from　there。”　Then　he　added；　“Not　that　I'd　want　him　as

my　dad…。”

Mike　practically　sprayed　his　milk。　“Dude！　Can　you　imagine？”　Then　Matt　gave　my　dad　a　slap

on　the　back　and　said；　“No　way。　I'm　sticking　with　my

main　man　here。”　My　mom　grinned　from　across　the　kitchen　and　said；　“Me　too。”

I'd　never　seen　my　father　cry。　And　he　didn't　exactly　sit　there　bawling；　but　there　were　definitely

tears　welling　up　in　his　eyes。　He　blinked　them　back

the　best　he　could　and　said；　“Don't　you　boys　want　some　pie　to　go　with　that　milk？”

“Dude；”　said　Matt　as　he　straddled　a　chair。　“I　was　just　thinking　that。”

“Yeah；”　Mike　added。　“I'm　starved。”

“Get　me　a　plate；　too！”　I　called　as　Mike　dug　through　the　cupboard。

“But　we　just　ate；”　my　mother　cried。

“e　on；　Trina；　have　some　pie。　It's　delicious。”

I　went　to　bed　that　night　feeling　very　full　and　very　happy。　And　as　I　lay　there　in　the　dark；　I

wondered　at　how　much　emotion　can　go　into　any　given　day；

and　thought　how　nice　it　was　to　feel　this　way　at　the　end　of　it。

And　as　I　nestled　in　and　drifted　off　to　sleep；　my　heart　felt　wonderfully…　free。

The　next　morning　I　still　felt　good。　I　went　outside　and　sprinkled　the　yard；　enjoying　the　splish

and　patter　of　water　on　soil；　wondering　when；　when；　that

first　little　blade　of　grass　would　spring　up　into　the　sunshine。

Then　I　went　out　back；　cleaned　the　coop；　raked　the　yard；　and　dug　up　some　of　the　bigger

weeds　growing　along　the　edges。

Mrs。　Stueby　leaned　over　the　side　fence　as　I　was　shoveling　my　rakings　and　weeds　into　a

trash　can　and　said；　“How's　it　going；　Julianna？　Making

neat　for　a　rooster？”

“A