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“He’s changed, Marlena Anybody who knows him will tell you that”

“Nobody changes, especially John He’ll always be an alcoholic, and I won’t have hi to influence my son”

“Influence hi about?” Emma demanded

“Don’t you know anything?” Marlena glared down at E to a backward child “Alcoholism is a disease It’s passed down in families John’s mother was an alcoholic So is John If David inherited the trait, one drink could be enough to tip hie That’s why I can’t let him be around John—ever”

“Marlena, John would never—”

“No, that’s enough” Marlena cut her off “You don’t even know him Maybe you think he’s wonderful Maybe you’re even in love with him But you don’t knohat he can be like” She turned to Pearl “You promised to look out for David Do your job”

“He’ll be fine, Marlena I won’t take rown accustomed to her sister-in-law’s rants “Now it’s ti, dear I’ll call you if there’s a problem”

“There’d better not be a problem” With those words, Marlena stalked outside and drove away

Pearl unlocked the doors, and turned over the OPEN sign But if there’d been any custoone elsewhere

“I think I need to sit down” Es unsteady beneath her

Pearl gave her a knowing smile “Don’t take it to heart, honey Marlena’s been a dra as I’ve known her I try to cut her soround Horrible fa out of that old ine”

Yes, I can, E herself that Pearl didn’t know about her time with Boone

“Marlena’s fought her way up from her roots, but she’s still insecure—the clothes, the car, the manicures, it’s all part of what she needs to convince herself she’s as good as anybody else My brother adores her, and she’s good with their kids But she can be prettyintense, for want of a better word”

“And John?” E napkins and cutlery on the tables

“He’s part of the past she wants to put behind her I guess she had a pretty bad ti I know John’s been sober a long time, and that he’d never influence D