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Instead, she ran from the room, Bill’s laughter still echoing
through the house.
    Well into the afternoon Martha lay across her small bed. The
pink roses on the wallpaper, which were normally calming, swayed dizzily and
made her head hurt. Again and again she pictured Bill at the window, aiming his
gun at Michael on the tractor. Had it been real or had she imagined it? And why
had he made that nasty remark? With her thoughts in turmoil, she finally gave
up. The best thing she could do would be to keep Michael, and anyone else that
might arouse Bill’s animosity, away. She sighed and went to make supper.
    Later, while she was doing the dishes, the phone rang.
Surprisingly, it was Will, and his call cheered her immensely. As soon as they
hung up, she went to the back porch where Bill was watching for something to
shoot. His disgusting behavior earlier in the day was not forgotten, but Martha
was excited.
    "That was William on the phone," Martha announced,
coming out onto the back porch. "He’s coming to see us on Father’s Day."
    Bill made no reply. He was interested in something
slithering through the bushes near the end of the driveway.
    "So?" Bill grunted.
    At least he was listening.
    She simply stood there, until finally he said, "I’m
surprised that Mr. Big Important Businessman has time for his country bumpkin
parents,"
    Martha’s shoulder sagged visibly, even though she had
expected his reaction. Somewhere in her mind she had hoped that Bill’s
paralysis might somehow bring father and son closer together. She suddenly felt
very tired. Would it ever end? Would he ever forgive William for not conforming
to his standards?
    "Is he bringing those screaming brats with him?"
Bill asked after a few moments.
    "If you’re talking about your grandchildren, no. He’s
on a business trip and they won’t be with him," Martha said sharply.
    Part of her anger was directed at William, too. She knew
that this visit from him was just to ease his own conscience; just a detour on
his way back to Cleveland. The tense situation between the two men was not all
Bill’s fault. William could try to be a little more understanding. When had all
her dreams of a loving family fallen apart?
    The gun cracked loudly.
    Standing on the porch with a warm, summer-like breeze
fluttering her dress, she saw Bill grin happily after taking down another
groundhog. Not for the first time, she wondered if this was the beginning of
the end for Bill, an end that was growing closer every day.

CHAPTER
5
    Martha washed and dried her hands, rinsing away the garden
dirt, then went through the house to the front porch to admire her work. Even
though this second garden had been forced upon her, she took great pride in it.
Most of the planting was complete. The rows were neat and straight, and weeds
were almost nonexistent. Young, healthy cabbage and green pepper plants were
flanked by rows of tender peas, which were beginning to bloom. Rapidly
sprouting beans and corn made up the rest.
    Bill fired the gun.
    The sound rocketed through Martha’s brain, shredding the
peaceful afternoon. She closed her eyes and pressed the back of her hand to her
mouth. Lately, every time she heard that gun she wanted to scream.
    Restless, she went back inside. Spring cleaning was an
impossible habit to break. Every year she told herself that the heavy duty
cleaning was unnecessary and every year she spent a week cleaning a house that
wasn’t dirty. This year was no exception. Crisp, clean curtains hung at
shining, mirror-like windows and the faint, pleasant scent of pine and lemon
only added to the fresh atmosphere.
    Wandering aimlessly from one scrubbed, polished room to
another, she tried to ignore the gun, which had barked twice more now. With the
days growing longer and warmer, what could she do now to keep busy? The garden
would need little or no care for a while. The house was spotless and would stay
that way and there wasn’t much more she could do to her roses. She