tears flowing from his eyes.
"I'll fix whatever can be fixed. Uncle Simon," I
promised, tears falling from my chin as well. "You'll plant again, Simon." Mommy said. "Go
on."
Daddy put his hand under Uncle Simon's arm,
more to urge him up than to lift him. He rose, slowly,
looking after Grandad, not so much with hate and
anger in his face now as much as confusion. "I won't let him be my father," he said. Mommy
smiled.
"I don't blame you," she said.
Uncle Simon shook his head. He looked at the
destroyed garden and then toward the direction
Grandad had fled.
"Can't be," he said. "Can't be." He let Daddy
guide him away.
"Wait," Mommy called after them. Daddy
turned to her. "Don't take him back to that barn. Take
him to Peter's room in the house," she ordered. Daddy smiled and nodded.
"C'mon, Simon. It's time you came home,"
Daddy told him.
Mommy put her arm around me. I had finally
stopped shaking and had swallowed down the lump
that had closed my throat. My tears felt frozen over
my eyes.
"You all right. Haney?"
"Yes." I looked after the devastated garden. "I'll
fix whatever I can."
"Okay. I'll go finish making the soup and give
him something for his fever." She looked after
Grandad Forman. "If that lunatic comes back, came