`` i 'm having both girls sleep over in the guest house tonight . my mother and i sat together , with my father right behind us . she did n't understand what she was doing . it startled him so deeply that he jumped up and looked around to make sure that he was still in his little clearing ; that nothing was trying to sneak up on him . he 'd already talked about their future like it was a done deal . but then , thomas had been a good man . he just wanted to talk for a minute . 