“Whenever you want,” Mom said.

Dad said, without even looking up from the book he was reading: Karl Barth—The Heretic, “I’ve changed my mind about Jennifer. You can play with her but no more practical jokes. Understand?”

I said, “Thank you,” and “Yes, I understand.”

Then Janet said, “You’re spoiling him rotten.”

But Mom said, “That’s enough, Janet. And another thing, you’re not to pull his ears anymore like you did yesterday. Do you understand, young lady?”

Janet just nodded and looked angry at being called “young lady,” but didn’t say anything back.

“Call me when lunch is ready,” I said, and I walked over to where the Banini was standing arguing with a man about something that the man had left in one of the rowboats yesterday. He said the Banini had stolen it because he couldn’t find it now. The Banini turned and winked at me, then turned back to the man and started shouting again.

As I stood there I thought about how this vacation was not going as planned and how it was better and worse at the same time. And I thought about what I should say to Mom now she knew I knew about her and Jonathan Edwards, and if Dad would ever find out, and what would happen then. But I wondered most about how to act in front of Jennifer now she had discovered the truth about my Little Thing and what it did.

Chapter 26

ON THE WALK BACK TO PORTOFINO Mom touched my hand and motioned with her head which was to say that we should fall behind the others so we could talk.

I slowed down and let Janet and Rachael pass us. Dad was already out of sight, way ahead of us all. By the pace he was setting we knew he was in a Mood. My stomach sort of tightened up. I hoped he wouldn’t do anything too embarrassing at dinner or someplace else in public.

Rachael and Janet went around the corner up ahead of us. Then Mom stopped walking so I did too.

“Calvin,” she said, “I thought you’d like to know he’s back in Switzerland.”

“What about his leg?”

“It’s in a cast and will be fine. But the big news is he’ll be gone before we get back.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he called the hotel from the station in Milano on his way back and told me.” There was a little bit of a quiver in her voice but she looked pretty determined when she said, “I won’t ever see him or speak to him again. I thought you’d like to know that.”

“That’s all right, Mom.”

“The Lord has given me a second chance and a wonderful son. More than I deserve.” Now her voice was really all trembly and since I didn’t want her to cry on me again I changed the subject.