Chapter 14: Cake

My father pulled his arm back from the cane and stood there rubbing it.

Nobody laughed, and nobody said "Aww."

My grandfather lowered the cane to the carpet and leaned on it.

"Sit down, Dennis," he said.

My father did not sit.

Guests began to look for their coats, and the sound of it was zippers and murmurs and a baby crying in the hall.

A woman I had never met took her husband by the sleeve and walked out without saying goodbye.

The boss with the expensive tie did not leave.

He picked his plate of crackers up from the bookshelf, looked at it, and set it down again.

"Dennis," he said. "One question."

"This is a family matter."

"Every year you sign a report saying the money is all there. Did you sign it this year?"

The boss said it quietly, but the room had gone so still that everyone heard.

My father opened his mouth.

"Yes or no," the boss said.

"Yes," my father said. "I did. And it's..." He stopped. He had heard himself.

"Then I'd like you to take Monday at home," the boss said. "Somebody from legal will call you."

He nodded to my grandfather, to Faye, and, after a second, to me, and went to find his coat.

My father looked around the room for someone to turn to.

Nobody turned.

My mother was sitting on the bottom stair with her cardigan pulled around her.

She was looking at the notary.

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