around now."
"Well, that's just great," Gisselle moaned. "You
just want to give up?"
"It's the way it is," I said with a tone of fatalism
that shocked her. She remained there staring in at me
as if she expected me to snap out of my mood and tell
her the things she wanted to hear.
"Aren't you going to get washed and dressed for
the wake?" she finally asked.
"Because I disobeyed Daphne and went to the
institution to see Uncle Jean, I am not permitted to go
to the wake. I'm being punished."
"Can't go to the wake? That's your punishment?
Why can't I be punished too?" she cried.
I spun around on her so abruptly she wheeled
herself back.
"What's wrong with you, Gisselle? Daddy loved
you."
"He did until you arrived. Then he practically
forgot about me," she moaned.
"That's not true."
"It is, but it doesn't
matter anymore. Oh well,"
she said, sighing deeply and fluffing her hair.
"Someone's got to entertain Beau when he arrives. I
guess I'll fill in." She smiled and rolled herself back to
her room.
I got up and gazed out the window, wondering
if I wouldn't be better off just running away. I might
have seriously considered it if I didn't recall some of