absolved。 Relieved。 Happy。
It took me a few minutes at the dinner table to realize that I was the only one who was。
Lyta had on her usual pout； so that wasn't it。 But my
father's idea of saying hello was to lay into me about the lawn。
“No sweat；” I told him。 “I'll do it tomorrow。”
All that got me was a scowl。
Then Mom says to my granddad； “You tired tonight； Dad？”
I hadn't even noticed him sitting there like a stone。
“Yeah；” my father tosses down the table at him。 “That girl working you too hard？”
My grandfather straightens his fork on his napkin and says； “‘That girl’ is named Juli； and no；
she isn't ‘working me too hard；’ as you so callously
put it。”
“Callous？ Me？” My dad laughs and says； “Developed quite a soft spot for that girl； haven't
you？”
Even Lyta let her pout go for a minute。 These were fighting words and everyone knew it。
Mom nudged Dad with her foot； but that only made
things worse。 “No； Patsy！ I want to know why your father has the energy and inclination to
befriend a plete stranger when he's never done so
much as toss a baseball around with his own grandson！”
Well； yeah！ I thought。 But then I remembered — I owed my grandfather。 Owed him big…time。
Without thinking； I said； “Take it easy； Dad。 Juli just
reminds him of Grandma。”
Everyone clammed up and stared at me。 So I looked at my grandfather and said； “Uh …