Part 12 (2/2)
Di looked hunted. She could never tell whether her parents were going to tease her about Bobby, or rebuke her for being seen with him. It depended on mood, and this mood Di had not the experience to gauge. She now groped for some neutral fact, and mentioned that he was going to take her and Jenny for ice cream that night.
Ina's irritation found just expression in office of motherhood.
”I won't have you downtown in the evening,” she said.
”But you let me go last night.”
”All the better reason why you should not go to-night.”
”I tell you,” cried Dwight. ”Why not all walk down? Why not all have ice cream....” He was all gentleness and propitiation, the reconciling element in his home.
”Me too?” Monona's ardent hope, her terrible fear were in her eyebrows, her parted lips.
”You too, certainly.” Dwight could not do enough for every one.
Monona clapped her hands. ”Goody! goody! Last time you wouldn't let me go.”
”That's why papa's going to take you this time,” Ina said.
These ethical balances having been nicely struck, Ina proposed another:
”But,” she said, ”but, you must eat more supper or you can _not_ go.”
”I don't want any more.” Monona's look was honest and piteous.
”Makes no difference. You must eat or you'll get sick.”
”No!”
”Very well, then. No ice cream soda for such a little girl.”
Monona began to cry quietly. But she pa.s.sed her plate. She ate, chewing high, and slowly.
”See? She can eat if she will eat,” Ina said to Dwight. ”The only trouble is, she will _not_ take the time.”
”She don't put her mind on her meals,” Dwight Herbert diagnosed it. ”Oh, bigger bites than that!” he encouraged his little daughter.
Di's mind had been proceeding along its own paths.
”Are you going to take Jenny and Bobby too?” she inquired.
”Certainly. The whole party.”
”Bobby'll want to pay for Jenny and I.”
”Me, darling,” said Ina patiently, punctiliously--and less punctiliously added: ”Nonsense. This is going to be papa's little party.”
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