None of us knew what to do next. So we sat there awhile. Then Mom said, “We’ll go home tomorrow morning on the first train. Maybe he’s going home.”

That meant our vacation was going to be cut short by three days. Now it began to sink in how terrible this really was. Janet said, “I suppose we’ll be going back to America?”

Mom said, “Of course there is no way we will be able to remain in the Lord’s work under these conditions.”

Mom got up and started to pack all her things up to be ready for the morning. And she found a few clothes of Dad’s he had missed when he swept all his stuff into his suitcase. Every time she came across a pair of socks or his pajama bottoms, she would burst into tears and say, “Oh, Ralph, what have I done?” and hug the sock or whatever and rock back and forth.

Rachael and Janet would exchange glances and nod their heads like they were agreeing with her about something. It made me mad to see how they were enjoying it all. So I said, “What about the rest of our vacation?”

“I’m terribly sorry, dear,” Mom said.

Janet dug her fingernails into my arm and whispered, “I think we have enough problems without you adding to them.” And she dug extra specially deep when she said, “You. “

“Ow!” I said.

“Don’t take it out on him, Janet!” yelled Rachael.

Mom didn’t say for Janet to stop hurting me, she only kept moaning to herself, “Oh, Ralph. Oh, Ralph, what have I done?” and pressing his swimming trunks, which she had found on the floor, to her face.

Suddenly the door burst open and we all jumped. Dad was standing there and he dropped his suitcase and said, “Elsa, I have been a fool!” We all froze because Dad crashed down on his knees and half shouted, half cried, “Elsa, I have driven you from me! Forgive me!” And he started to sob, and then Mom rushed over to him and crashed down on her knees too and they hugged and wailed and sobbed on each other’s shoulders.

Janet grabbed me by the hair and whispered, “Come on, let’s get out of here.” She pulled me and Rachael toward the door. But Dad stood up choking and sniffing and said, “Stay, children! There’s no point you going. What was hidden has been revealed!” So we stayed but didn’t know where to look because this was the most embarrassing thing in the world.