And right now, that means getting Papa to sign for me to skip ahead of my class and take biology in the fall. In fact, I’m not even supposed to think �it.įirst things first, Mama always says. I’m sure marriage and babies would be very nice, but there’s something else I want more than anything. After all, a young lady’s supposed to want lots of children.

Oh, why didn’t I go with Hazel when she asked me to help take care of Claire and Ellie this afternoon? I bet no one would mind if I’d missed Mama’s tea to play with sweet little twin girls. It’s just that I can’t help wondering how they keep from getting bored with all that �handiwork. Mama’s ladies truly do good for the needy. T-FAMILY: Times mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt' I know that sounds sarcastic, and I don’t mean it to. Right this minute, he’s probably admiring the crocheted doilies they make for Mama’s �charities. Then he put on his friendly doctor smile and went in to greet the ladies. I heard Papa grumbling to himself as he stood outside the parlor door, straightening his tie. He slipped down the back stairs to see about �it. He said this might be one of those days when we need Mrs. When I told him what happened, he nodded in his wise way.

My getting in trouble with Papa is nothing new to him. Luckily for me, Ching Lee was polishing the bronze lamp on the upper landing. I expect he’ll lecture me on how shameful it is for the daughter of San Francisco’s most eminent physician to “carry on” the way I do. As we stepped into the foyer, he growled that he’d “deal with” me later. To Papa, there is no greater disgrace than a disobedient child. He positively forbids me even to slow down on the street when I walk home-he calls it “loitering like a common street girl.” The way he practically dragged me home, I felt like I was eight years old, not �fourteen. I tried to tell him there was still plenty of time for me to greet her friends, but he wouldn’t listen. It turns out Papa knew I was supposed to be at Mama’s tea party. Arnold, who tipped his hat and hurried away. Arnold came out of the tailor shop next to Huston’s and almost ran me �down. As I stood gazing through the window, he and his friend Dr. I thought Papa would be seeing patients at the hospital this afternoon, but I was wrong. But someday I will, of that I’m �certain. The cold fog made me shiver, but I couldn’t stop staring at the surgical instruments in their display-they’re so amazing! And the smart medical bags that the doctors carry when they make house calls-I do crave one of �those. And all because I was looking in the window at Huston’s Medical Supply.

I can’t believe I’m stuck in my room writing in my journal when I could be having a good time over at Hazel’s.

Aftershocks by William Lavender