迪文小说

第14部分（第2页）

then　I　thought；　No！　Im　his　kid。　He　wouldnt　do　that　…

would　he？

I　looked　around　at　everything　we　had　—　the　big　house；　the　white　carpet；　the　antiques　and

artwork　and　stuff　that　was　everywhere。　Would　they　have

given　up　all　the　stuff　to　make　my　life　more　pleasant？

I　doubted　it；　and　man；　I　doubted　it　big…time。　Id　have　been　an　embarrassment。　Something　to

try　to　forget　about。　How　things　looked　had　always

been　a　biggie　to　my　parents。　Especially　to　my　dad。

Very　quietly　my　granddad　said；　“You　cant　dwell　on　what　might　have　been；　Bryce。”　Then；　like

he　could　read　my　mind；　he　added；　“And　its　not　fair　to

condemn　him　for　something　he　hasnt　done。”

I　nodded　and　tried　to　get　a　grip；　but　I　wasnt　doing　a　very　good　job　of　it。　Then　he　said；　“By　the

way；　I　appreciated　your　ment　before。”

“What？”　I　asked；　but　my　throat　was　feeling　all　pinched　and　swollen。

“About　your　grandmother。　How　did　you　know　that？”

I　shook　my　head　and　said；　“Juli　told　me。”

“Oh？　You　spoke　with　her；　then？”

“Yeah。　Actually；　I　apologized　to　her。”

“Well…！”

“And　I　was　feeling　a　lot　better　about　everything；　but　now　…　God；　I　feel　like　such　a　jerk　again。”

“Dont。　You　apologized；　and　thats　what　matters。”　He　stood　up　and　said；　“Say；　Im　in　the

mood　for　a　walk。　Want　to　join　me？”

Go　for　a　walk？　What　I　wanted　to　do　was　go　to　my　room；　lock　the　door；　and　be　left　alone。

“I　find　it　really　helps　to　clear　the　mind；”　he　said；　and　thats　when　I　realized　that　this　wasnt　just

a　walk　—　this　was　an　invitation　to　do　something

together。

I　stood　up　and　said；　“Yeah。　Lets　get　out　of　here。”

For　a　guy　whod　only　basically　ever　said　Pass　the　salt　to　me；　my　granddad　turned　out　to　be　a

real　talker。　We　walked　our　neighborhood　and　the

next　neighborhood　and　the　next　neighborhood；　and　not　only　did　I　find　out　that　my　granddad

knows　a　lot　of　stuff；　I　found　out　that　the　guy　is　funny。　In　a

subtle　kind　of　dry　way。　Its　the　stuff　he　says；　plus　the　way　he　says　it。　Its　really；　I　dont　know；

cool。

As　we　were　winding　back　into　our　own　territory；　we　passed　by　the　house　thats　going　up