— I don't know what I've got Oscar! she finally turned on him — my God, you sound like that idiot Norrie will I keep the penthouse. Harry handled all of it, the mortgage, financing all I know is we bought it at the top of the market and he certainly didn't die with just the change in his pocket! And I mean my God if he'd been a senior partner, if they'd made him one a year or two ago like they should have he'd be billing four or five hundred dollars an hour and sitting under the Christmas tree with the other senior partners sharing the profits on the millions pouring in from every case the firm handles he had nothing to do with, we'd be…
— Like mine.
— What do you mean like mine, he'd be…
— I said like mine Christina! I said he'd be sharing the blood money that movie paid them for stealing my work and running up my legal bills and destroying everything I…
— Oscar that's ridiculous, I mean Harry didn't know they were hiring his firm to defend their…
— That's what you just said! that he'd be sharing the profits from leaving me with twenty percent of nothing to buy one last bottle of Pinot Grigio while you're sitting up there in a penthouse with…
— Oscar that's enough! I mean my God that's just the way that whole marvelous self regulating conspiracy works, there's nothing he could do about it and nobody's sitting in a penthouse, we're sitting right here and I mean we're certainly not destitute are we? Here's Father's estate if that clown can stay sober long enough to get it together, he told Harry it should come to over five million, five and a half I mean we're not going to go hungry are we?
— Yes but it's, that includes this house, most of his estate is in this property Christina. All I have of whatever's left in that Maryland trust now without Father there doling it out will go to upkeep and paying the taxes here like my mother meant it for so I'd always be sure to have the…
— Have what Oscar! her arms suddenly flung out embracing beam and scantling, hearth and newel, casement lights and dark wainscot — are you starting all this again?
He'd sunk down there on the sofa staring at her like a child, — but what…
— All of it! This property and this old house where my mother dragged me in like an orphan, sorting out what's yours and what's mine? My insurance claim and your ridiculous award, my bank and your mother's trust, my penthouse and this place that's yours because it was hers, Winifred Riding daughter of a wealthy Long Island architect and landowner when she married your father my God Oscar it's a hundred years ago! Your sainted mother it's history, it's all just history! and she turned back to the window, looking out over the pond — playing like we did as children by the shores of Gitche Gumee? stilled by that unheard of coldness, that intolerable winter on the shining Big-Sea-Water passed the swan, the Mahnahbezee, Mahng the loon with clangorous pinions, the blue heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, — all your outrage over Father, how you've fought since we were children? bringing back his youth of passion and the beautiful Wenonah stooping down among the lilies as a car door slammed outside, up the hall the glass doors clattered followed by the snap of footsteps wayward as the Minnehaha with her moods of shade and sunshine, eyes that smiled and frowned alternate, all he'd told to old Nokomis was his fight with Mudjekeewis, not a word of Laughing Water.
— I swear, I'll kill him! she burst in at them tearing off her coat, — Oscar? I'm going to need to have seven hundred dollars.
— Well but wait, I…
— What in God's name for, Lily. I mean they didn't find…
— I'll kill him, I swear it! These implants he put in they said one of them ruptured, that's what this lump was they said if I don't take it out I'll have all this silicone jelly running all through my body you know what it cost me? I mean it was Al, he wanted me to have big ones it was Al all the time he said once so he could play telephone with them he didn't care what it cost so that's where he got me this fancy Doctor Kissinger, the same one you were talking about that time? with that friend that brought that Mister Mudpye out here looking down my front I just saw her at the airport, she said to tell you she got married.
— Well I'm hardly surprised, I mean people will do anything but…
— I mean I just need you to loan it to me Oscar because I'll be able to pay you back because I'm going to sue him, I can still feel his squishy hands on them I'll sue him for everything he's got so I don't even need to care about Daddy's money anymore if the Lord calls him and this Reverend Bobby Joe gets his slimy hands on it because I'm going to sue him too.
— Yes but I mean my God Lily, at least you can be happy it didn't turn out to be cancer after all, you…
— Why should I be happy, I mean if it was who am I supposed to sue? Oscar? turning on him arms akimbo, her small fists jammed against her hips — what's the matter, you mad at me or something? and I mean look, you didn't even eat my eggs.
— He's upset about something else Lily, he found a letter in that mess over on the sideboard that nobody bothered to give him and…
— Who's supposed to hand it to him, some secretary? and she was already over there sweeping the heap together — you want to help me clean it up?
— Later yes, it's high time isn't it. I think I feel a draft, is something open?
— Now. I mean now. I told you I'm airing out that smelly bathroom and the library didn't I? and those sheets that have to go in the wash, you want to keep this Oscar? where you're invited to join this panel of distinguished t Americans discussing vital issues of the day at the National Speakers Association?
— No, but…
— Or this camping equipment and patio furniture? Here's your hearing date in a product liability action by Ace Fidelity Worldwide against Sosumi Motors regarding injuries…
— They postponed that no, put it, put it somewhere…
— It's already somewhere that's the trouble.
— There's a blue folder someplace, put it…
— This? Overdue. Overdue. Overdue?
— Those are, yes, those are just bills put it…
— The Bursar's Office informs you that a lien has been placed against your salary as of…
— Well what are you going to do about that Oscar, have you called them?
— No, it's that ambulance chaser who…
— And that sleazeball, I'm going to sue him too unless Al gets him first, tulip bulbs? boating equipment? Luxor, you going to Luxor?
— My God Lily just throw it all out, it's…
— Wait what's that.
— Hobbytime?
— Yes no keep it, it's my fishtank keep it, give it to me.
— Over whose dead body, here's your father's obituary you want to keep that?
— Well good God of course, it's…
— You can put it with those ashes in there, you keeping them too?
— Well good God yes!
— From Schriek Mohlenhoff & Shransky, it says statement.
— It's a bill just put it with the, but there's another one I'm looking for from them somebody named Preswig I have to call him, he…
— Then why don't they just call it a bill, you want to keep this thing? Opinion of the Court, James B, minor, v. Spotskin?
— Yes keep it, yes, it's Father's decision in the…
— Ladies Historic Preservation Society that can go, Dear Doctor Crease that can go, Here's Gunnin' for You that slimeball Mickey Mouse was I ever dumb. You have been selected by the board of directors for your biographical entry in the exclusive new volume Five Thousand Important American Men?
— No stop it, throw it out it's…
— Here's a bunch of these real old letters tied up with this dirty string, throw it…
— No wait Lily, I forgot all about it Oscar it's those old letters Father pried out of that bogus historical society, our charming visitor dug them out of that old Gladstone with his assorted bottles and gamy socks in one of his half sober moments hellbent on reading me the letter of the law, U.S. Code this and per stirpes that rescuing them from the furnace with the rest of Father's papers while he sat here ready to burn down the house with those vile Picayunes.