through ice.â
My parents seemed to have been struck as speechless as I was, but now Daddy said, âIt is a generous and beautiful gift, Miss Serena, but much too large for us to think about tonight. Letâs just relax and enjoy our Thanksgiving dinner. We have much to be thankful for.â
Aunt Serena said, âI wonât enjoy Thanksgiving dinner if youâre going to deny me this pleasure.â
Daddy said quietly, âIf itâs at all possible, we wonât deny you the pleasure, but itâs a major trip, and weâll need to discuss it.â
I still felt as though Iâd been kicked in the stomach. Me? Antarctica? I looked around the room, at the familiar
comfortableness of home. Mother had chamber music playing softly in the background, something of Dvoákâs, I think, music she played a lot. I looked at the table set with a white damask tablecloth and our best china and silver, and I knew I wanted to leave it all and go to Antarctica more than Iâd ever wanted anything.
John said, âMy vote is for Vicky to go.â
Suzy said, âI sâpose. Mine, too.â
Rob, always anxious about separation, asked, âIs Antarctica safe?â
Aunt Serena said, âAs safe as any place in the world, Rob.â She looked at my father, and I thought of Adam II going out in his Zodiac and never coming back.
John said reassuringly to Rob, âJust think of all the postcards of penguins Vicky can send you.â
âPolar bears?â
âThatâs the Arctic. No bears in Antarctica. But there are penguins.â
âAnd seals,â Suzy said.
Aunt Serena changed the subject. âMy! What wonderful smells coming from the kitchen. And how lovely the table looks.â
Mother said, âI use the linen cloths for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They take forever to iron.â
At dinner Aunt Serena was seated at my fatherâs right, and I was next to her. I whispered, âAunt Serena, Iâm so stunned, IâI canât quite take it in.â
âThatâs all right, my dear. I know your parents need to discuss it before theyâre willing to let you go off on such a
long trip. However, I think they will. Iâd go myself if I could. But since I canât, the next best thing is to send you.â
Â
My parents did discuss it with Aunt Serena, at length, and with Cook. Cook, as usual, was calm, but positive. âMadamâs heart is set. The trip will be an education for Miss Vicky, and sheâll make the most of it.â
Â
By Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend no decisions had been made, but I had the feeling that my parents were going to give in to Aunt Serenaâs determination.
John left to go back to M.I.T., and Adam came to take me to Clovenford. He gave me a big hug and swung me around. âSo youâre going to Antarctica! Terrific!â
Mother said quickly, âItâs not decided yet.â
Adam sounded wheedling. âYouâll really make Aunt Serena unhappy if you donât let Vicky go. And hey, congratulations on winning that poetry prize, Vicky!â
Mother beamed, and I blushed and said, âThanks.â
âAunt Serena showed me the paper with the winning poems. I thought yours was much better than the one that won first prize, and so did Aunt Serena.â
Actually, the first-prize poem was pretty bad, and that made me wonder about the caliber of the judges, and if maybe my poem wasnât very good, either. Iâd mentioned my suspicions to my English teacher, whoâd told me that my poem was excellent, and it was recognized as such, and not to worry about anything else.
Adam said, âWeâll be off, Mrs. Austin, and Iâll have Vicky home by ten oâclock.â
âAt the latest,â Mother said. âThe school bus will come tomorrow morning as usual.â
When we drove down the road, Adam said, âIf I had to bet on it, Iâd bet theyâre
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