To my surprise, Daddy wasn't at dinner, either. When I asked why not, Mrs. Fennel said he had things to do and wouldn't be home until late in the evening. Usually, she would just say, "He had things to do." I was sensitive to the fact that she was speaking to me more now. Something had changed between us. She wasn't sniping at me, and I thought I even saw her smile occasionally. There was no change in how she spoke or acted toward Marla.
Marla was quiet and solicitous at dinner. I thought she was still afraid I would tell Daddy how she had behaved and even some of the things she had said. It was clear also that Daddy was not unhappy with how I had handled things in school with Mark. She knew that eventually, as Ava had been my mentor, I would be hers.
