people said to me. OK?”
Chapter 21
Jonathan’s forehead wrinkled, and he studied his hands, which were clasped together in his lap. He seemed to be in deep thought.
“When we were in the living room, I told you who those men in the pictures were.”
“Yes, sweetie, I know. That was this morning, just a while ago. Can you think of another time I was in any of these rooms? Before I went away, I mean.”
Jonathan twisted his hands together tightly. It seemed to Marnie as though her question had upset him. She thought there must have been some incident that had happened earlier, something he didn’t want to tell her about. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to distress him. She wouldn’t force him to remember something he’d rather forget.
“That’s OK if you don’t.”
“I don’t,” he said, a relieved expression spreading over his face. “I don’t remember ever being in any of the rooms with you before. Just yesterday and today.”
“OK. Let’s forget it. We’ll start all over again from when I came back, and you can forget anything that happened before then. OK?”
He nodded.
“Are there any games or puzzles in this room that are yours?”
He slid from the chair and ran over to a cabinet. He threw open the doors and started to search through the boxes.
I must have really been some kind of a pathetic mother if my son doesn’t even want to talk about what went on before, Marnie thought. I’ve forgotten it, and he obviously wants to. So we’ll just put the past in the past and start over.
“Here’s a puzzle Daddy and I like to work together,” Jonathan said, pulling a colorful box from the stack.
“Would you like to work it with me?” Marnie asked.
“Yes. We work puzzles on this table,” he said, as he opened the box and dumped the pieces on the table in front of the window and spread them out. “First you turn all the pieces right side up,” he said, demonstrating. “And then you find the edges. See?” he said, holding up a piece to show Marnie. “See how it’s straight on one side?”
“Yes, I see that. I can see you really know how to do this. You must be a very good puzzle worker.”
“I am. Daddy says so,” he answered proudly.
While they were working the puzzle, Mrs. Tucker came to the door. “I’m back from the dentist, Mrs. Barrett. I can take Jonathan upstairs now, if you wish.”
Marnie noticed the crestfallen look that spread across Jonathan’s face.
“I’d just as soon keep him with me, Mrs. Tucker. He’s great company. You go on and rest. Take a nap if you want. Jonathan and I are doing just fine.”
Jonathan’s face beamed with that, and when Mrs. Tucker left, they went back to their project.
When the picture of marine animals and ocean waves was assembled, admired, and taken apart again, Marnie asked, “So, what should we do next?”
“I like games.”
“Then let’s play a game. What do you have?”
Jonathan proceeded to find a game and instruct her in the rules. After half an hour of winning and losing game pieces, she asked, “Do you have any more games?”
“No, I don’t think so,” he answered.
How sad, she thought. How many games there must be for children his age, and he only has one. Doesn’t anyone ever buy him anything? Then the truth hit her; she was the one who should have been buying them. I’m going to have to do something about this. If I’m going to be a good mother, I need to get him things he needs. There is obviously no shortage of money in this house. I’ll have to talk to David about buying some things for my son.
“Are there any playing cards here?”
“Sure,” he said as he pulled open a drawer in the table and produced a deck.
“Do you ever play Go Fish?”
Jonathan looked puzzled. “Gold Fish?”
“No, Go Fish.”
Marnie explained the game as he sat in rapt attention.
After playing for some time, Jonathan once again pronounced the dreaded “Go Fish,” and Marnie moaned in exaggerated despair. As he cackled delightedly, a voice sounded from the doorway.
“It sounds like someone’s having fun in here!”
“Daddy!” Jonathan rushed to hug his father around the knees. “We’re playing Go Fish!”
“So I heard.”
“I learned how. And I got threes. And she needed sevens. And I didn’t have any, and I told her to Go Fish!” he related animatedly.
“This game is a lot more fun with three people instead of two,” Marnie said.
“Please, Daddy, please play with us.”
“Well,