Adam kept his promise to the Foxs to visit every week and Mona went along whenever possible. As George and Isabella often took them into their confidence, it was little more than a month after their grandson’s death, that Mona and Adam learned of the couple’s concern over Shane’s parents. It seemed that their daughter-in-law, despite her husband’s and even her parent’s protestations, was determined to continue living as if their son was still with them. Shane’s room was kept as he had left it and his mother continued to change and wash the sheets every week, just as she had always done. She even set a place for him at the dinner table. Ruby also resisted any attempt to get her to see a

Psychiatrist, and accused Ralph of wanting to put her in a mental institution. Adam dropped by one day while Ralph was visiting his parents and was immediately shocked by his haggard appearance. It looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. George later told him that their son would sometimes wake up at night to find his wife missing. Twice he had found her sitting by the living room window, staring out into the street as she’d often done when Shane had been late getting home. At other times she was standing in Shane’s bedroom door as if watching their son sleeping. In all cases she had gone quietly back to bed with her husband and never mentioned the incident the next day, when she always appeared bright and cheerful.

Meanwhile Adam received some unsettling news of his own. In her last weekly

letter, Mary had confided to their son that his father, who would turn seventy in January, had developed cataracts on both eyes and was slowly going blind. When he told Mona the news that evening, she suggested that he go home for the Christmas break in December. He agreed that it would be a good idea, even though nearly half the time would be spent in travelling. He knew that he had enough money for the trip but that finances would be tight during the second semester. His summer job at Brookfield Ice Cream was assured however, and he was no stranger to having little pocket money. Adam smiled thinking of how his mother’s face would light up when she got the news. His mind was made up, he would be going home for Christmas.