Chapter 5

“No, it wasn’t,” she said. “It was hard. I remember being embarrassed at first. I was afraid my friends wouldn’t talk to me, what with Everett being quoted in newspapers and all, and I feared that someone would throw red paint on the house. We talked about moving to Provincetown, where it was more accepted, but the schools weren’t as good there. So, I learned to live with it. I did get involved for a while, handing out leaflets and such, but nothing much. Why?”

Because I have to find some reason that explains Katie’s moving out.“Just wondered.”

“It’s hard when someone you love does something unpopular. You’re always afraid they’ll get hurt some way. But you learn to live with it…and give them what support you can…or you get out.”

Like Katie did?“Sounds easy.”

“It isn’t. You know, I left him for a while.”

That was new info. “You left Gramps?”

“Yup,” she admitted. “Took your daddy and Uncle Roger and moved right back here to my father’s house. Stayed three whole months.”