not make love anywhere but in this house, with me in the house, with no one else in
the house, and with all outside doors locked.
‘In public you will always behave like most brothers and sisters, friendly but a
little bored with each other. You will never show jealousy over each other;
jealousy, possessive behaviour, is a dead giveaway. However, Donald, you can always
be your sister’s gallant knight, empowered to poke anyone in the jaw or give him a
karate chop if that’s what it takes to protect her from some oaf. That’s both a
brother’s duty and his proud privilege.’
‘That’s what happened,’ he said gruffly.
‘What, Donald?’
‘Gus had her down and was giving her a bad time. So I pulled him off and beat the
tar out of him. And he lied about it and Aunt Marian believed him and didn’t believe
us and told Dad and Dad backed up Aunt Marian and – Anyhow we cut out that night.
And didn’t have money enough for the bus. So we hitchhiked and saved what money we
had for eating. But -‘ Donald started to shake. ‘There were three of them and they
took what money I had left and, and – But Priss got away!’ I could hear him
suppressing sobs that I pretended not to hear.
‘Donnie was wonderful,’ Priscilla said solemnly. ‘It was last night as we were
leaving Tulsa, Mama, on 44. They carne at us and Donnie yelled for me to run and he
stood up to them while I ran down the street to a filling-station that was still
open. I told the station owner and begged him to call the cops. He was doing so when
Donnie showed up and the station owner helped us get a hitch into Joplin, and there
we stayed in an all-night Laundromat till it got light, and then we carne straight
here, in two hitches.’
(Dear Lord, if there is Anybody up there, why do You do this to children? Maureen
Johnson speaking and You’re going to have to answer to me.)
I squeezed his shoulder. I’m proud of you, Donald. It sounds like you took a licking
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and got robbed to keep your sister from being raped. Did they hurt you? Besides that
bruise on your face?’
‘Uh, maybe I’ve got a cracked rib. One of ’em kicked me when I was down.’
‘Tomorrow we’ll get hold of Dr Rumsey. You’re both going to need physical exams
anyhow.’
‘Donnie ought to have that rib looked at, but I don’t need a doctor. Mama, I don’t
like to be poked at.’
‘You don’t have to like it, dear, but as long as you are under my roof, you do have
to hold still for it when I think it is necessary. That is not open to argument. But
you’ve met Dr Rumsey before. He delivered you, right in this bed.’
‘Really?’
`Really. His father was our first family doctor, and the present Dr Rumsey has been
my doctor since Alice Virgina was born, and he delivered both of you. His son has
just finished his internship, so it could happen that his son will deliver your
first baby. Because the Rumseys are Howards, too, and practically members of our
family. What have Marian and your father told you about the Ira Howard Foundation?’
`The Ira what?’
`I’ve heard of it,’ Donald told me. `But just barely. Dad told me to forget what I
had heard and wait a couple of years.’
`I think a couple of years have passed. Priscilla, how would you like to be sixteen,
and you, Donald eighteen? Now, I mean. Not two years from now.’
`Mama, what do you mean?’
I told them what the Foundation is, in a handful of words or less. ‘So a Howard
often needs to adjust his birthday to keep from being noticed. We’ll discuss it
further in the morning; I’m going back to bed. Mama needs the rest – busy day
tomorrow. Kiss me goodnight, dears – again.’
`Yes, Mama. And I’ll go back to my bed… and I’m sorry I worried you.’