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be home for lunch. I know I’ll grab him by his ear. I’ll hold
it tight. First, I’ll be in the corner, on tiptoes. I’ll be tall,
then it’ll be lunch. And I’ll hold his ear so that it hurts,
later.
I hear footsteps. A woman is standing in the doorway. She’s
breathing deeply, quickly. I see Mama turn back. From the
stove to the door. The woman doesn’t say anything, just
breathes. Then she says that Srečko phoned. That his mama
was run over and is in hospital.
Mama is looking through the window at the yard. She
doesn’t always look. Sometimes. Now. The table is laid for
lunch. I’m standing in the corner, looking at Mama. I see
her shoulders and her hair in a bun. She isn’t moving, just
looking through the window. Karlo walks into the kitchen
now. Mama talks. The neighbor came to tell us that Lucija
has been run over. Can you take me to Trieste after lunch?
I listen.
Yes, says Karlo. What’s happened?
I don’t know. She said Srečko phoned. He said that she’s
been run over. Karlo sits down at the table. I see
Tata
is
coming. He’s in the yard. He stops. He coughs, then comes
in.