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"William, look at me" The unshaven man lifts his head, and I see that his eyes are red froain If you touch a hair on Katherine’s head, I’ll call the cops Lay one finger on her, and I’ll do it I probably should this tiain," William finally whispers I have to lean into his yesterday-whiskey breath, his voice is so low
"You better bathe, shave, brush your teeth, and go say those words to Katherine I’ until she feels safe" The man shuffles toward the stairs, and I let out my air
Sometimes I surprise myself When I entered the roo I wouldn’t see hirin and raise my eyebrows
"Hey, wait apowerful "Come back a second You still owe Bitsy five dollars for her work over the holidays!" The es back down the steps
"God, I forgot Do we have any money in the cookie jar, Mary? I’m out of cash" Mary rolls her eyes where he can’t see her and lifts the honeybee on the top of the beehive ceramic cookie jar
She takes out a small handful of coins and one bill and spreads theh, but I’ him off "Bitsy was here for three weeks, so you can pay her the rest in food Mary, can you fix us a sack of flour and beans, whatever you think is worth about five dollars if we shopped at Bittman’s Grocery Store?"
"Good idea," Williao to the bank just now" He reaches out his hand so I can shake it and I notice his ring, gold with a ruby I have a ruby too, though he wouldn’t know it That’s the way of the rich; they lao on with their life in the sa about being poor and being really poor If you’re rich, you can go bankrupt and still wear a ruby
"Thank you, Patience," MacIntosh says, looking right at me "Thank you for all you’ve done"
"You are welcome," I answer formally, but then harden "You better thank Katherine for bearing your child and coo upstairs "And thank Mary too, for feeding baby Willie while Katherine was gone"
The cook sets out a sack of flour
Bitsy is in ahen I hand her the ain, then hefts the sack of goods Mary has stoay for us It et paid and I’m so relieved that the scene at the MacIntoshes’ didn’t turn ugly that we’re in a celebratory est "We have one hour before the vet leaves You said you need stockings"