As Brave As You

Brooke drinks more heavily during his nighttime walks with Genie. About a week before the boys are due to leave, Brooke asks Genie to take him to another part of the yard. They accidentally startle Samantha, who barks at them. Sneaking back inside, they find Genie’s grandmother waiting for them. She chastises Brooke for drinking and for going outside so late, and when Brooke tries to evade her by going to bed, she throws the dismantled pieces of his gun into the trashcan. Distraught, Brooke tries to dig them out before giving up and weeping, with his wife comforting him.

The next morning, Genie’s grandparents apologize to him about what happened the night before. Genie tells Ernie about his nighttime walks with Brooke. Ernie is still worried about going to the dentist, but Brooke comes into the boys’ bedroom and reassures Ernie about Binks. He also gives Ernie his own sunglasses to replace ones that broke during Ernie’s shooting accident. When Brooke takes his glasses off, Genie is intrigued and somewhat repulsed by his grandfather’s blind eyes, which remind him of clouds or ice.