"Dad and Mom still have things to deal with." Eleanor Spencer Atkinson hugged Audrey, and then said, "Today, grandma made Audrey's favorite fried fish for you."
"Daddy loves fried fish too."
Eleanor feared that her son's back injury would prevent him from eating fish, let alone the fact that his injury needed immediate treatment at the Bell Tower Building. She cajoled Audrey, saying, "Your grandpa is in a bad mood today. Your dad might not be able to eat if he sits with him, so it's better not to sit with grandpa."
Audrey looked indecisively at Gem Atkinson, then at her grandpa, and finally sighed with an adult air, saying, "Alright. I'll stay here and work on grandpa's thoughts. I'll make sure he doesn't use the whip so easily."
Gem's injuries hadn't been bandaged yet, and the smell of blood was strong. Worried that his little darling would discover this, he nodded, squeezed her face, and smiled, saying, "Alright, you'd better go now."
