"David Martin Crane, what did I tell you about yelling in the house?" Daphne yelled in a voice that let David know that she was VERY angry. "And I don't ever want you to speak to me in that tone again, all right? If you want my attention you will move your legs upstairs and get me or you'll be spending the next afternoon after school in your room, do you understand?"
Feeling the wrath of his mother, David hung his head in shame, unable to look at her. And it took a few moments before she would even speak to him again.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, thinking that she couldn't possibly hear him. But when she kissed his forehead and smiled, he knew that she had.
"It's all right. Just don't let it happen again."
"I won't." He said just as quietly as before.
"Now, what's the big emergency?"
"This!" David said, unable to hide his frustration. When he handed her his thick History book, it was like a weight being lifted off of his shoulders. Better to give it to her than to throw it out of the window.
"Ah, History! Sometimes I wish I had gone to school in America to learn about all of the wonderful things you and your father have been able to learn. But I guess I could learn a few things by looking at your book. So what seems to be the problem?"
"We have to read Chapter Fourteen for homework tonight and I've read it over and over, but I just don't get it! Help me!"
She eyed him with a stern look. "Please, will you help me with my homework?" She corrected.
He wanted to roll his eyes at her tone, but he didn't dare. He was already in enough trouble as it is.
"Mom, will you please help me with my homework?" He said as politely as possible.
Finally she smiled. "Of course I will. Now, what chapter did Mrs. Reynolds want you to read?"
"Fourteen".
"All right. Fourteen it is! Now, let's just have a look here. I bet-." She stopped suddenly, her mouth open as though something she'd seen surprised her. But something wasn't right. She wasn't smiling or laughing or even moving. It was as though she was frozen like one of the statues in the Seattle Art Museum.
And suddenly he was scared.
Feeling even worse that he had disobeyed her, and wondering what was wrong, he put his hand on her arm and shook her gently. "Mom, are you okay?"
She didn't answer right away but when she opened her mouth, she looked at him for only a moment before she burst into tears.
