I stopped dead in my tracks. How did he know? How did he find out? Gladys and I were the only ones expected to know. Although I wasn't so happy he was proud of me, I didn't need his disappointment either, at least not at this point.

I clenched my fists and played with my fingers, struggling with myself for words to defend myself with. Something to let him know that I knew exactly what I was doing even though I didn't.

"You don't have an answer?" Father asked, his voice clearly ...