"I have to go down and tell Ma to bring up his food."
"He's becoming a real monster," I declared, glaring furiously at Uncle Jacob's doorway.
"He's just frustrated," Cary muttered and started for the stairs.
"Your mother was crying when I got home, Cary." He paused and looked at me.
"She's near the breaking point herself," I warned strongly.
"I'm doing the best I can!" he cried, tears filling his eyes.
"I didn't mean--I'm not blaming you, Cary."
He spun around and stomped so hard down the stairs, I thought he would crack a step. The last thing I had intended was to upset him. The look on his face turned my heart to glass which was quickly shattered by my boiling blood.
It's Uncle Jacob's fault, I fumed. Damn him. Without hesitation, I marched across the hallway to his bedroom door. He was sitting back against his pillow, anticipating his tray of food, looking like some spoiled member of royalty who thought everyone else existed merely to please him.
"Uncle Jacob," I said, addressing him as sternly as a schoolteacher.
He opened his eyes slowly, but when he saw me, they widened quickly and drank me in from head to foot. For an instant I thought he looked pleased, but it was as if the realization of that heightened his anger.
"How dare you come here dressed like that?"
"Forget about how I am dressed. I don't care. You're being unreasonable, throwing tantrums like a baby when everyone is doing their best to make you comfortable and help you get well. But if you don't stop shouting and demanding, you'll make Aunt Sara sick, too!"
His mouth opened and closed without a word. Then he waved his fist at me.
"Get out! Get out of my sight you daughter of temptation."
The veins in his neck strained and he fell back against his pillow, his face red.
"I'm just telling you this for your own good as well as everyone else's," I concluded.
He slammed his eyelids shut as if he had to wipe out the sight of me. It's futile, I thought. The man's too selfish. I returned to my room and got dressed. Just as I finished, I heard Cary coming up the stairs. He was carrying the tray of food and Aunt Sara was trailing behind, her every footstep a monumental effort now. Cary and I exchanged glances as he continued down the hallway, but Aunt Sara paused.
"Everything's ready downstairs, dear. May's at the table. Just serve the dinner. I have to stay with Jacob and help him eat his meal."
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"When will you eat, Aunt Sara?"
"I've already had more than I need. Please, just be sure May eats."
"Okay, Aunt Sara. Don't worry. I'll take care of her."
"Don't forget," she said. "Raymond's coming for you at seven."
Cary looked back, his eyebrows raised with curiosity.
"I'm sure Grandma Olivia wouldn't permit me to forget," I muttered and went downstairs.
"What does Grandma Olivia want?" Cary asked when he joined May and me at the dinner table.
"I don't know. All I know is I'm being summoned to the palace. But she might be in for a surprise," I added and went to the kitchen to get the meat loaf. May had already set the table and brought out the bread and the jug of ice water.
"What sort of surprise?" Cary asked when I sat at the table. He was in his father's seat again, the Bible opened and ready for his reading.
Instead of answering, I stared down at my plate and kept my head lowered.