Joe, Rosemary, Carolyn, and Mitch chatted about the upcoming plans and how difficult the next few days were going to be for everyone. This was safer territory than discussing the actual murders; that subject—all the whys and what ifs—would come in the future. Now was too soon.

Mitch and Carolyn each knew they had a serious chore in front of them—how and what to tell their three boys—but neither was ready to discuss it. It hung in the air, like a giant balloon, unspoken, yet on everyone’s mind.

Finally, Joe said, “I know you two are thinking about what to tell the boys. I know you have a policy of always telling the truth, and I won’t pretend I know what to do, or that it’s my place to give advice. The only advice I’ll give is that the two of you pray for guidance before you speak with them.”

“Dad, do you think we have to tell them now?” Carolyn asked, ignoring the fact that her father had just said he didn’t know what to do. She always went to him with her problems, and he and her mom always gave her solid advice. For example, the first time Mitch came to the house to pick her up, Joe, who was naturally suspicious of young men around his daughters, let Mitch babble on without saying anything in response. Rosemary instantly liked him.

When they got to the car, Mitch said, “Whew, I hope I didn’t say anything too stupid. Your dad just looked at me and didn’t say anything, but I think your mom liked me.”

Carolyn laughed and said, “He liked you. If he didn’t, you would have known.”

That night when she came home, her father was sitting on the porch, waiting up.

“Hi, Dad, what are you doing up so late?”

“Waitin’ for you. I wanted to tell you something. That fellow, Mitch, do you like him?”

“I really do, Dad. I think I might actually love him.”

He looked at her and smiled. “That’s good, because I stayed up tonight to tell you I think he’s a keeper. He seems like a fine young man to me.” That was all. With that he got up and walked into the house and up to bed, and Carolyn watched his rocking chair sway to and fro until it stopped.

She looked up at him now and waited, hoping he would encourage her and Mitch to wait to speak with the boys.

Joe wasn’t given to needless sentiment, but he was in foreign territory and knew bad news didn’t get better with age. “I don’t think it’s going to get any easier in a few days, and it’s possible they will find out from someone else.”