my mother was livid and would n't stop huffing around the house for weeks . she hated to be sick and so she refused to get sick . all i needed was one good , well-placed round . there was a silence then , as they waited . but i did n't let myself see it . `` no , it 's not , and i 'm sorry about that . he promised her she could stay there , and she did for about forty-eight hours . the things people did for money . 