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"Bailey gave me that pitcher It’s just the kind of boy he was"

"It’s very nice," I replied, then quizzed her while I could "How’d he get e?"

"Well, it wasn’t his fault He fell in with bad coot out, he couldn’t find hier I detested that no-account thearound till all hours, getting into trouble Royce was having fits"

"Bailey was dating Jean Tiht," she said, apparently hazy on the details after so irl, despite what everybody said about thatand she reached over to the bed table to pick it up "Motel," she said "Unh-hunh, that’s right This month or next? Just a minute, I’ll check" She pulled the reservation book closer, rees I watched her flip forward into March, peering closely at the print Her tone, as she conducted business, was coestion of infirmity that marked her ordinary speech She licked the pencil point and -sized beds versus queen

I took the opportunity to go in search of Ann A doorway on the far wall led out into a hallith roo off the central corridor in either direction On the right, there was a staircase, leading to the floor above I could hear water being run and then the taint tap of the teakettle on the burner in the kitchen to et a fix on the overall floor plan and I had to guess the apartether fro walls punched out The resulting town house was spacious, but jerry-built, with the traffic patterns of arooh whatclothes I paused in the doorway Ann was setting cups and saucers on an industrial-sized alu tray

"Need any help?"

She shook her head "Look around if you like Daddy built the place hiot married"

"Nice," I said

"Well, it’s not anyiven you a key yet? Youyou in rooot an ocean view and a little kitchenette"

"Thanks That’s great I’ll taketo talk to the attorney this afternoon"

"I think Pop set up an appoint along if he’s feeling up to it He tends to want to stage-ht"

"Actually, it’s not I’ll want to go alone Your parents seem defensive about Bailey, and I don’t want to have to cope with that when I’ht I can see your point I’ll see if I can talk Pop out of it"

Water began to rus from a red-and-white tin canister on the counter The kitchen itself was old-fashioned The linoleureen, like an aerial view of hay and alfalfa fields The gas stove hite with chrome trim, unused burners concealed by jointed panels that folded back The sink was shallow, of white porcelain, supported by two stubby legs, the refrigerator se, probably with a freezer coan to whistle Ann turned the burner off and poured boiling water in a white teapot "What do you take?"

"Plain is fine"

I followed her back into the living rooet out of bed She’d already swung her feet over the side, her gown hitching up to expose the crinkled white of her thighs

"Mother, what are you doing?"

"I have to go sit on the pot again, and you were taking so long I didn’t think I could wait"

"Why didn’t you call? You know you’re not supposed to get up without help Honestly!" Ann set the tray down on a wooden serving cart and ive her mother a hand Ori descended ponderously, her wide knees treht The two proceeded aardly into the other roos out of the car?"

"Do that," she called "We won’t be long"