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really knowledgeable about archaeology.”
    Professor Hawkins, who would be mentoring Robby through the doctoral process, conducted an excavation site on a dig in New Mexico and he had invited Robby to be a part of his team. It was a very big honor indeed for Robby to have been singled out in a such a way at this phase of his education.
    “I’ve been very lucky,” Robby started to say, but his father interrupted.
    “He’s not going to be paid a thin dime,” he said. His speech was slightly slurred. “Making mud pies in the desert!”
    Laura looked over at Robby. Any of her brothers would have defended himself if Theo had said something like that. But Robby’s face was blank, as if he hadn’t heard his father. Only his fists balled up in his lap gave him away.
    “He says he’s going to get all this knowledge and experience,” Mr. McAllister went on. “Knowledge for what? That’s what I’d like to know. He’s going to go to school for another six years, he tells us. And then he’ll go dig up pieces of old pots andpaste them together. A grown man playing with pieces of pots. After all the money that was spent on his education, and—”
    “But my brother, Donald, is very pleased about Robby’s choice,” his wife cut in. “He was the one who sent Robby to college. Donald and his wife—she’s the one I mentioned a moment ago—don’t have any children. Robby’s like a son to Donald, and Donald is so proud of—”
    “Donald! Donald! Donald!” her husband exploded. “No one gives a goddamn about your brother Donald.”
    Under the porch lights, Laura saw Mrs. McAllister’s brown eyes fill with tears. Her round face crumpled with pain. It only took a second, then she regained control, blinked away the tears and forced herself to smile. But in that second Laura saw a history of humiliation that had probably been going on for years, and her heart ached for poor Mother McAllister.
    Iris and Theo, meanwhile, were trying to cover the awkward moment with cheery offers of more coffee and another helping of the cake Laura had baked. The offers were rejected by Robby and his mother, who managed to end the evening quickly, and Robby drove his parents back to the hotel where they were staying.
    After that, it had taken Laura a while to reassure her parents about her upcoming marriage. “You can’t judge Robby by his parents,” she said. “That’s not fair. You both love him. That hasn’t changed. Besides, maybe tomorrow night things will be better.”
    It did seem as if the second evening started out better. Mr. McAllister was completely sober, for one thing, and Mrs. McAllister was making more of an effort to be friendly. This time they had dinner in the dining room of the hotel where theMcAllisters were staying, and everyone seemed to be getting along, until the coffee was served. Then Theo announced that he had a practical matter he wanted to discuss.
    “Iris and I wish to pay for an apartment for Laura and Robby to live in, as well as Laura’s tuition,” he told his prospective in-laws. “Just until Laura graduates from college. Then she can get a job to carry expenses until Robby has his doctorate.”
    “After all, we’d be paying for her room at the dorm if she hadn’t transferred to be with Robby,” Iris had added.
    Frank McAllister put down his coffee cup. “I believe if a man is ready to get married he should be ready to stand on his own two feet. I don’t see any reason to coddle my son the way you’re suggesting.”
    And besides, you couldn’t afford it
, Laura thought angrily. She saw that once again, Robby was looking off with a blank expression as if he hadn’t heard his father.
    “But Laura and Robby won’t be in a position to support themselves for a while,” Iris protested. “At least, they won’t be able to do it without tremendous hardship.”
    “We want them to concentrate on their studies, not trying to pay their rent,” Theo put in. “I don’t call that coddling. We