… and then let’s have a play funeral, Aubrey. Just pretend one of them is—”
Sam Walters let out a sort of strangled cry and almost fell getting across the room.
There was a bad moment, then, but Edith and Richard managed to pass it off casually enough, outwardly. Edith discovered it was time for Aubrey’s little friend to leave, and she exchanged a significant glance with Richard and they both escorted the girl to the door.
Whispered, “Dick, did you see— ”
“Something is wrong, Edie. Maybe we shouldn’t wait. After all, Aubrey has agreed to give them up, and—”
Back in the living room, Sam was still breathing a bit hard. Aubrey looked at him almost as though she was afraid of him. It was the first time she’d ever looked at him like that, and Sam felt ashamed. He said, “Honey, I’m sorry I— But listen, you’ll promise me you’ll never have a play funeral for one of your dolls? Or pretend one of them is badly sick or has an accident—or anything bad at all? Promise?”
“Sure, Papa. I’m—I’m going to put them away for tonight.” She put the lid on the doll house and went back toward the kitchen.
In the hallway, Edie said, “I’ll—I’ll get Aubrey alone and fix it with her. You talk to Sam. Tell him—look, let’s go out tonight, go somewhere and get him away from everything. See if he will.”
Sam was still staring at the doll house.
“Let’s get some excitement, Sam,” Richard said. “How’s about going out somewhere? We’ve been sticking too close to home. It’ll do us good.”