| "Oh come come, my dear," Belboz said solicitiously. "Surely you must
be able to remember your own birthday."
"I - I should be able to, yes," a nervous Hannah agreed. As she considered it, she missed the small motion that Belboz made with his hands. Suddenly, it came to her. "I remember!" Hannah exclaimed. "I turn 16 exactly six months from today!" Why I couldn't remember that? Hannah thought to herself. I must be terribly stupid! "Oh, it's okay, Hannah," Belboz said. "Your father did tell me you were a bit dense sometimes. But I didn't exactly choose you for your brainpower," he added with another mysterious smile, "So don't concern yourself with it at all." With that, he made what appeared to be another dismissive wave of his hands. As he did so, Hannah thought to herself:
|
"Father was right to warn him of my stupidity.
I must try to do better." 