我们没再说话，只是默默地拥抱了很久。通常我们拥抱一会儿就会松开，但这次，我决定，或许，我会坚持长久一些。
AsIsatperthesed-floorwindowofourbrickschoolhousethatafterbegantosiheagcar。ThiswasadayI’dlookedforwardtoforweeks：MissPace’sfrade，end-of-the-yearparty。MissPacehadkeptarunningontheblackboardallthatweek，andourine-year-oldhadborderedoiohemuticipated“partyFriday”hadarrived。
IhadhappilyvoluherwhenMissPacerequestedcookievolunteers。Mom’schocolatechipsreignedsupremeonourblodIkhey’dbeahitwithmyclassmates。Buttwoo’clockpassed，andtherewasnosigoftheothermothershadalreadyeandgsofpundcrackers，chips，cupdbrowherwasmissingina。
“Don’tworry，Robbie，she’llbealongsoon，”MissPacesaidasIgazedforlornlydow。Ilookedatthewallclotimetoseeitsblautehandshifttohalf-past。
Arouhenedon，butIwouldn’tbudgefrommyatissPacedidherbesttoeaway，butIstayedput，holdingouthopethatthefamiliarfamilycarwouldberoundtheer，gmyrightfullyembarrassedmotherwithatinofherfamouscookiestuderherarm。
&hreeo’clockbellsoonjoltedmefrommythoughtsaedlygrabbedmybookbagfrommydeskahedoorforhome。
Onthefour-blockwalktoourhouse，Iple。Iwouldslamthefrontdoorup，refusetwhensherushedovertome，aospeaktain。
ThehousetywhenIarrivedandIlookedforaherefrigerathtexplainmymother’sabsefoundnone。Myquiveredwithamixtureofheartbreakahefirsttimeiherhadletmedown。
IwaslyingfaybedupstairswhenIheardherethroughthefrontdoor。
“Robbie，”shecalledoutabiturgently。“Whereareyou？”
IhearherdartingfrantitorwhereIcouldbe。Iremai。I，shemouhesouepsquigassheasdedthestaircase。
&eredmyroomandsatbesidemeonmybed，Idideadstaredblanklyintomypilltoaowledgeherpresence。
“I’msosorry，honey，”shesaid。“Ijustfotbusyandfot—plainandsimple。”
Istilldidfiveher，”Itoldmyself。“Shehumiliatedyotyou。Makeherpay。”
&herdidsomethielyued。Shebegantolaugh。Icouldfeelhershudderasthelaughtershafirstandthesvelodvolume。
Iwasincredulous。Howcouldshelaughatatimelikethis？Irolledoverandfacedher，readytoletherseetherageanddisappoiinmyeyes。
Butmymotherwasn’tlaughingatall。Shewasg。“I’msosorry，”shesobbedsoftly。“Iletyoudowleboydown。”
Shesankdownonthebedaoweeplikealittlegirl。Iwasdumbstrueversee，mothersweren’tsupposedto。IwohiswashowIlookedtoherwhenIcried。
&elytriedtorecallherownsoothingwordsfromtimespastwhenI’dskiubbedtoes，timeswheherightthingtosay。Butinthatmomentht，wordsofprofundityabandonedmelikeaworn-outshoe。
“It’sokay，Mom，”IstammeredasIreachedoutarokedherhair。“Wedidhosecookies。Therelentyofstufftoeat。Don’tcry。It’sallright。Really。”
Mywords，asiheysouedmymothertositup。Shewipedhereyes，andaslightsmilebegaear-stainedcheeks。Ismiledbackaulledmetoher。
&sayanotherword。WejustheldeachotherinaloembrawecametothepointwhereIullaway，Idecidedthat，thistime，Icouldholdon，perhaps，justalittlebitlonger。