Page 165

"No," said Papa. But Mary, putting her hand on his shoulders, urged him to dance.

They danced. Papa swung like a trained bear. When the record ended: "Enough" he said, but Mary had already put the music back on and was singing I am faithful to you darling in my way and returned to him.

This time Papa didn't move. He said something hostile. She replied. I didn't hear their words but I felt tension in the air.

Papa turned towards the wall, bounced on his knees and with a typical base-ball gesture threw the glass. The crystal shattered, a red wine stain spread across the wall. Mary turned around, headed for the door, stopped. I got up: "It's time to go to sleep, right mom?" My mother nodded, she got up too.

...He was pacing, back and forth, back and forth... 

I wasn't ready. I was burning inside. I bathed my wrists and face with cold water once more, went slowly down the stairs and looked out at the door of the Casita. 

"I am sorry, daughter."

"It is not enough to say I'm sorry and then continue to be bad and unfair. Like when in front of all of us, just because she was wearing black, you shouted at her: 'You and your hangman suit!'" You and your hangman suit. 

"Sometimes I'm stupid..."

"You can't just say 'I'm stupid!" You are not stupid and you know it. Why do you treat her like this?"

"Sometimes she makes a mistake..." 

"We all make mistakes. She too has the right to make mistakes. It is you, man, the strongest, who has the duty to understand, to help."

"I try to help her, believe me. But sometimes..."

"Sometimes my father got very angry too...