The next morning Karen dallied before coming down to breakfast. I was deep in an animated conversation with Timmy about rabbits, real and cartoon, when she shuffled into the room. She looked tired and I wondered if she remained awake long after our lengthy conversation, perhaps filling more diary pages.
"Before you ask me, I wrote my note to Mr. Haynes," she said. "Do you want to read it?"
"No. I trust you," I answered, though I was curious as to how she'd worded the missive.
"Do white rabbits only have white bunnies and black rabbits only have black bunnies?" Timmy asked.
"I don't know," I answered. "Don't forget, there are grey rabbits as well. Not everything in the world is always black and white."
Karen looked up from pouring milk in her cereal. "I want you to write a note too," she said as she reached for a spoon. "Write a note to get me out of class to go see Dr. Mason." Our appointments were for today, Friday. He'd changed it because of a conflict.
"Why? Your appointment is after school."
"I want to swap with your time and talk to him first. He won't care."
"What are you going to discuss?" I asked, before realizing it was a presumptuous question.
"Are you asking if I'm going to rat out my dad? That's between us."
Was 'between us' meant between her and the doctor, her and me or her and her father? I dutifully wrote the requested note and spent most of the day wondering what I'd learn at my late afternoon appointment.
By the time I entered the doctor's office I was a nervous wreck but he didn't comment on my obvious condition. Nor did he begin by telling me anything about his just-ended meeting with Karen who had already left his office by the time I arrived. Instead, he danced around my childhood like a cock in a hen yard.
He prodded for specifics but I became bored with his games after a few questions. I'm sure he sensed my impatience.
"What are you trying to get at?" I finally asked.
He looked up from his doodling. "Were you well behaved when you were Karen's age?"
"Reasonably. Not as well behaved as she is."
"Ah," he said.
"Doctor, why am I paying you if I know ahead of time exactly what you're going to say?"
"Just what am I going to say?"
"You're either going say 'Ah'or ask me a question; not answer mine."
"What do you want me. . ." He realized he was again asking a question so he rephrased it as a statement. "You have something you want to ask."