The words of Montag still echoed in Mrs. Bowles' head, "Go home and think of your first husband divorced, and your second husband killed in a jet and your third husband blowing his brains out, and your children who hate your guts! Go home and think how it all happened and what did you ever do to stop it?". How dare he openly criticize her like that? Never again would she go back over to that house. It was all nonsense; probably something found in one of those ridiculous books. She wouldn't believe it. Yet as much as she tried to ignore the harsh criticism, she couldn't help but think to herself that what he said was true. No! No, It's not. She hopped in her car and drove fast, at least 100 miles per hour hoping to clear and forget that any of it happened.
Mrs. Bowles walked grumpily into her house. She did have very nice things and was living a happy life which couldn't be better; no matter what Montag said about life being better before this lovely society. No books just meant all the less confusion. Ugh. Why she was worrying? Her children would be home soon. And she was sure they didn't hate her...did they? Mrs. Bowles shook her head and turned on the program in the parlor. It was the same program she had began to watch at Mildred's. She glanced in the fridge. Her delicious cookies where sitting on a plate. She never let the children eat them because they were her special cookies that she couldn't afford to share. Maybe she would give them some. They would like that, yes. And she could give them some when they came home, yes! That's what she would do She would be very nice and give them her cookies. Then they wouldn't hate her! But, they don't so they will just be extra happy. She would at least prove that one thing Montag said was wrong.
Her children walked in the door blanked face, almost expressionless. When they came into the kitchen, they seemed almost surprised to see their mother with a caked and forced smile, holding out the plate of cookies as an offering. They had a look of hatred and disgust on their faces. Why had she never noticed it before? Did they really hate her that much? NO. She wouldn't believe it, she wouldn't believe anything Montag has said. Mrs. Bowles seemed almost nervous while waiting for their approval. "Hi darlings!" she managed to choke out. "How about some of my cookies while watching the program, hm?"
"Okayyyy...uh thanks?" they all mumbled, very skeptical. They glanced at her with a small appreciation and then headed into the parlor. Her smile fell. It was going to take a lot to win them over. She didn't even know where to begin. She didn't have her own children's' liking, she had multiple failed marriages... maybe she wasn't so happy. She had been putting on a good face for so long, that she actually started to believe it herself. She wasn't happy. She had never been happy. Montag was right. Now if she could just remember what the book had said...
