my head swimming , i put my hand to my brow . he was peering at the sheets of data over his glasses . i liked how my cheeks stung and my lips cracked and my eyes teared up from the cold . j guess i thought you were as much a mother as he is a father . '' `` do n't , '' she said in a hoarse voice . the waitress strolled to the table and pulled the check out of her apron . just looked at , the stop-setting numbers made me feel better . 