Nature is protective of its gift of life, or to put it less romantically, evolution is effective at keeping various forms out of the "sorry, dead end" file. Many species, therefore, give warning signals when they present a danger to others. Rattlesnakes rattle, cats hiss, dogs snarl, politicians open their mouths, and small children are suddenly silent.
So when Clark came in quietly instead of boisterously, and looked sheepish instead of immediately rushing to Martha and telling her all about what he'd been doing outside, she knew. "What happened, Clark?"
"Daddy's on the roof."
"Yes, he's up on the roof because he's fixing the tiles after the big storm. He's coming back down again."
"Really?"
"Really." Martha couldn't help but melt at how Clark was uneasy about any unexpected separation from his adored dad, and how he must have thought that Jonathan was going onto the roof for good. The idea of Jonathan taking on the role of a weather vane made her grin, and Clark, though not sure what the funny thing was, decided that it was probably going to be all right. "Were you worried that he wouldn't?"
Clark nodded a tiny bit.
"Well, he's coming down. I'm really, really sure." She gave Clark a big hug. "Just as sure as I am that there are cookies in the jar. Go see." Clark, reassured, opened the jar, helped himself, counting out loud.
"One, two, three cookies." He looked up at her. "Milk, please?" Martha opened the refrigerator. "Can I pour?" She helped him steady the bottle and the glass and settled him with a picture book about the planets while she continued to work through the month's accounts.
There was a sudden banging on the roof and a loud shout. "That's probably Daddy," Clark sagely told her. The shouts continued and she went outside to see what was happening.
The ladder was splintered on the ground and it looked as though Jonathan had just realized it. Clark followed and looked a bit sheepish again, but said, "Daddy's coming back down, don't worry, Mommy. I was going to put the ladder back because everything has a place, but it broke."
Martha shouted up that she'd drive over to the Peterson's and borrow theirs. As she bundled Clark into the car, she reminded herself of the other rule the Rosses had shared. "Always ask at least two more questions even after you think you know the answer."