There was a deep note of gratitude in Daddy’s voice as he asked the simple blessing. He was thankful to have his small family all together again. It had been a long two weeks to Daddy without Mimi. There were not many more days to have them all four together at their own table. Daddy knew something Mimi was yet to find out.
While Daddy served the plates, Mother helped; while Cissy hovered behind Daddy’s chair with hot breads, while Junior clamored for both drumsticks now instead of one, Mimi made a discovery. She found a plain white envelope that was flat on the table, hidden under her napkin. She hadn’t taken her napkin up immediately as Daddy finished the blessing the way she usually did. She was watching tiny streams of tallow run down the candles and hoping they would not spoil the cake icing; admiring the snowy white cloth and Mother’s thin, etched glasses, so different from the bare tables at camp and the thick glasses and heavy china. Not that camp wasn’t all right—No siree! But it was so grand to be home again.
“A-hem” said Daddy. He had finished serving the plates and all eyes were focused on Mimi waiting for her to rip open the white envelope.
“It’s for me?” Mimi asked picking it up and turning it over. No name, no anything——
“Look and see.”
It was so thin and flat, it couldn’t have much in it, Mimi thought as she tore the end open with scalloped little pinches. When she ran her finger in the envelope, it seemed empty. Then she shook it and out tumbled a check. It was for more money than Mimi dreamed existed.
“For you, daughter,” Daddy said (and when Daddy said “Daughter” she felt very grown-up and dignified if a slightly snubbed-nose person with unruly red hair and such merry blue eyes can ever be dignified).
The check instead of being payable to Mimi was made out to Sheridan School for one year’s room, board and tuition for Mimi—in full——
“But—?” said Mimi looking dazedly from Mother to Daddy. She wasn’t old enough to go to college and she had heard Mother say she did not approve of Prep Schools when there were good High Schools at home.
“Daughter, Daddy is going away a year,” Dr. Hammond said—“taking a leave of absence from his practice and going to Leipzig, Germany, to specialize.”