She stared at him. She had never heard him talk like this. He glanced at her, annoyed by the look on her face. “I’ve made reservations,” he said, “for June first. That’s Saturday. I could probably get earlier ones.” “Father.” She stood up. “I can’t come with you.” “Don’t say that!” he commanded her, so sharply that she started. “I can’t,” she whispered. “You can, and you will. That’s all I want to hear on the subject.” As she started once again to protest he held his hands up for silence. “No more discipline Laura. I promise you that. I was a fool. You were too, but never mind that now. I was too hard on you, it’s true. I see that. Well, you’re more or less grown up by this time. I guess we can dispense with spanking.” “Spanking! It was more than that and you know it!” “Don’t argue with me, Laura.” He turned on her, his voice low and fierce. Then, making a visible effort to calm himself, he said, “Get your things together and I’ll see about the reservations.” “No.” “Don’t fight me, Laura.” “Father, there’s something you don’t know about me.” _I have to tell him. I’ll never be free from him till I tell him. Till he knows what he’s made of his only child._ “There’s something you don’t know about me,” she whispered. “I don’t doubt it. Now hurry up, we’ve wasted enough time.” “Father ... listen to me.” It was almost too hard to say. Her legs were trembling and her heart was wild. “Well, out with it, for God’s sake! Jesus, Laura, you go through more agony.... Well? What is it?” He frowned at her tense face. “I—I’m a—homosexual.” His mouth dropped open and his whole body went rigid. Laura shut her eyes and prayed. She held her lower lip in her teeth, ready for the blow, and felt the humiliating tears begin to squeeze through her shut lids. She moaned a little. He made up his mind fast and his voice cracked out like a lash. “Nonsense!” he snarled. “It’s true!” Her eyes flew open and she cried again, passionately, “It’s true!” It was her bid for freedom; she had to show this courage, this awful truth to him, or she would never walk away from him. She would spend all her life in a panic of fear lest he find her out. “I’m in love with my roommate. I’ve made love—” “All right, all right, all right!” he shouted. His voice was rough and his face contorted. He turned away from her and put his hands over his face. She watched him, every muscle tight and aching. At last he let his hands drop and said quietly, “Did I do that to you, Laura?” Without hesitating, without even certain knowledge, but only the huge need to hurt him, she said, “Yes.”