Page 116 of Atmosphere

“Yes, she is.”

“She’s not even in junior high.”

“Some of these schools start in sixth grade. She’ll begin the school year at Landingham Prep after Labor Day. It’s in Dallas. Lots of kids go there and love it.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because the current situation is not working.”

“You have to give it time.”

Barbara shook her head with a patience that enraged Joan.

“I cannot believe you are doing this to her,” Joan said.

“Plenty of children go to boarding school, Joan. Don’t be dramatic.”

“She is ten years old. She’s young for her grade. She’s not ready.”

“She’s certainly old enough to cause trouble.”

“She’s hurting and confused about you getting married and her life changing. This is not the time, even if boarding school were right for her.”

“Joan, please—”

Joan’s heart rate was rising. “And the worst part is, you know better.”

“I know better? Excuse me. You have no idea how she speaks to him, Joan. It’s unacceptable. And that’s not even getting into how she speaks to me. Daniel is honestly worried about her. That she needs some discipline. Maybe I did wrong by her, up until now. I felt so guilty about being a single mother that I babied her. She needs structure, and she’s not accepting the structure we are giving her. So this is how she’s going to get it. It’s good. It’s good for her.”

“Does she want to go?”

“Of course she wants to go. What do you take me for?”

It sounded impossible to Joan. She marched right up to Frances’s bedroom. Frances was sitting at her desk, finishing her homework.

“Your mother told me you’re going to Landingham. Is this what you want, babe?”

“Yeah,” Frances said. “Mom says there’s a lot of other kids there. I’d eat dinner with my friends every night.”

Joan looked at her and sighed. How could Joan make any better argument? Frances had been eating dinner alone most nights.

“I’ll have a roommate, which I think will be fun. And we’ll go on field trips all the time. I read in the brochure that we get to go to Washington, D.C., in seventh grade.”

Joan nodded. “You’re sure you want to do this?”

“I’ll miss you, but Mom says that I will be back a lot of the weekends, like every month. And I was thinking maybe a few of them could be at your place?”

“Of course. Of course.”

“I’m excited.”

How had Barbara done this so masterfully? Joan had no way to stop it.

Joan put on a smile. “I know you’re old now, but can I still kiss you on the top of your head?” she asked. “This once?”

Frances laughed and then bent her head down.

Joan kissed the part in Frances’s hair.

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