figuring. She had never guessed that though he appeared to distribute favors loosely, in reality he had carefully kept count. He had probably set aside a certain amount to squander on these friends of hers and it was now used up. She felt sorry for the Fishers and the Sullivans, but after all, Hubert had been as generous as one could reasonably expect. She felt proud of him and very meek as she revised her Christmas list. When he came shuffling back to the living-room in his brown felt slippers she smiled at him like an adoring but chastened wife. The ways of rich men are inexplicable at times and perhaps a little cruel, but one must accept them.
The new list omitted Hymie, Billy, and Clifford. Really it wasn't necessary to give them presents. It provided two pairs of stockings for Mary, one teddy for Anna, and one teddy for Louise. Theresa was definitely set to receive a handbag, and Mary's baby was slated for one woolly dog. Alternative choices looked a bit extravagant, Lillian thought. She wanted Hubert to see that she had grasped his meaning at once.
She did all her Christmas shopping on Dyckman Street. Twenty dollars covered everything but Hubert's gift. It cost her another ten dollars for his bathrobe. She hoped he would like it. It was red and gray and looked very warm. She had bought everything out of her monthly allowance. Hubert would return what she had spent on gifts. All of course except the ten dollars for the bathrobe. She wanted that to come out of her own money.
Christmas Eve was very gay. Lillian had a tiny tree.
