In just one month, Austin, Vinnie, and Mother will travel to Washington, D.C., to visit Father at Congress. They have invited you to join them, but you hesitate. If you stay in Amherst, you will have three whole weeks of Susan to yourself. Mother has already suggested that Susan come to stay with her cousin John at your house. John is a nice enough young man, and will be busy with his classes at Amherst College.

Time alone with Susan has been far too scarce and most necessary for some time now, but you have never been to Washington, D.C., and would love to see Father in action. If you are honest with yourself, though, you recognize that as much as you want Susan all to yourself, you are also afraid of where these weeks might take you both; if joy, then pain, and "into each life some rain must fall." You worry less for yourself than for Susan: Is she strong enough to weather what storms may come?

If you decide to go to Washington, D.C., turn to page 48.

If you stay in Amherst, turn to page 26.