He’s gifted in the most unexpected ways, most of them not terribly useful. What are these, Snooky? Currants?”
“Yes, My. They had some in the store, so I threw them in.”
“I can taste the cider,” Bernard pronounced gloomily.
Snooky served out the coffee in large French cups with a delicate floral pattern. “Nice cups, aren’t these? I found them in the back of the cupboard. I’m probably not supposed to be using them. Cream or sugar?”
Once everyone had their coffee, and the first slices of pie had disappeared, Irma rose slowly from the table, supporting herself on Bobby’s shoulder. She lifted up her half-empty wineglass. “Listen, everyone,” she said tremulously. “Please listen. I have the most wonderful announcement to make.”
The conversation, which had been running in subdued rivulets around the table, was immediately stilled.
Irma gripped Bobby’s shoulder tightly, and her cheeks turned an unhealthy shade of red. Under the heavy makeup, she actually seemed to be blushing.
“Bobby and I …” She faltered, her voice quivering. “Bobby and I … oh,
dear
… well, we’ve decided to get
married!”
There was a moment of dead silence. Then everyone began to talk at once. Sarah went around and kissed her aunt. Dwayne shook Bobby’s hand heartily. Gertie looked vastly amused and kept on eating her dessert as if nothing at all had happened.
Roger stood up and threw his arms around his sister. “Why, Irmie, you old fox! How long have you been planning this? My God, Bobby, you’re a lucky guy!” He shook Bobby’s hand. “When’s the date? Have the two of you set a date?”
“Wait till the spring,” said Gertie. “There’s nothing like a spring wedding.”
“Oh, dear … oh, no … I don’t know,” twittered Irma. “We haven’t even discussed it yet.”
“Well, you’ll have to stop keeping all these secrets and let us in on your plans,” Roger said. “Hey? Do you hear what I’m saying, Irmie?”
“Of course, Roger.”
“So happy for you both,” said Roger heartily. He wrung Bobby’s hand again and sat down. But Bernard, next to him, noticed that as he picked up his napkin and spread it carefully over his lap, his hands were shaking.
“Why did she have to pick
my
dinner party to make that announcement?” mourned Snooky. He and Maya were clearing the table later that evening. Everyone had left half an hour before, in a flurry of thanks and slightly inebriated good-byes.
“I noticed how happy the whole family was.”
“It ruined everything. It ruined everything, Maya. I had the whole evening planned so carefully. We were going to sit in front of the fire and tell stories. It was all going so well, wasn’t it? And then she springs that announcement. Oh, damn.”
“Forgive me for asking,” said Bernard from his seat by the fire, “but what business is it of her family’s if she decides to remarry?”
“It’s something you wouldn’t understand, Bernard. It’s a worldly concern. Something that someone like you wouldn’t comprehend. It has to do with money.”
“What about money?”
“Irma is rich, Bernard. Rich beyond your wildest dreams. Her husband left her everything except for a half-share of the house, which he gave to his sister Gertie. But Gertie didn’t get any money, just a life interest in the house. And nobody else got anything at all. They’re all dependent on Irma in one way or another. Roger thought he was an entrepreneur, like Hugo, but all his businesses failed one after another. Sarah said it was pathetic, how he would come to Irma and Hugo—and now just Irma—with his hat in hishand, asking for money. Anyway, how do you think they would all feel if Irma marries again and leaves her fortune to Bobby? They’re only human, Bernard. They’ve got to be disappointed.” Snooky balanced three plates on top of each other with an angry clatter.
Bernard had lost interest long ago. He sat gazing happily into the
“Yes, My. They had some in the store, so I threw them in.”
“I can taste the cider,” Bernard pronounced gloomily.
Snooky served out the coffee in large French cups with a delicate floral pattern. “Nice cups, aren’t these? I found them in the back of the cupboard. I’m probably not supposed to be using them. Cream or sugar?”
Once everyone had their coffee, and the first slices of pie had disappeared, Irma rose slowly from the table, supporting herself on Bobby’s shoulder. She lifted up her half-empty wineglass. “Listen, everyone,” she said tremulously. “Please listen. I have the most wonderful announcement to make.”
The conversation, which had been running in subdued rivulets around the table, was immediately stilled.
Irma gripped Bobby’s shoulder tightly, and her cheeks turned an unhealthy shade of red. Under the heavy makeup, she actually seemed to be blushing.
“Bobby and I …” She faltered, her voice quivering. “Bobby and I … oh,
dear
… well, we’ve decided to get
married!”
There was a moment of dead silence. Then everyone began to talk at once. Sarah went around and kissed her aunt. Dwayne shook Bobby’s hand heartily. Gertie looked vastly amused and kept on eating her dessert as if nothing at all had happened.
Roger stood up and threw his arms around his sister. “Why, Irmie, you old fox! How long have you been planning this? My God, Bobby, you’re a lucky guy!” He shook Bobby’s hand. “When’s the date? Have the two of you set a date?”
“Wait till the spring,” said Gertie. “There’s nothing like a spring wedding.”
“Oh, dear … oh, no … I don’t know,” twittered Irma. “We haven’t even discussed it yet.”
“Well, you’ll have to stop keeping all these secrets and let us in on your plans,” Roger said. “Hey? Do you hear what I’m saying, Irmie?”
“Of course, Roger.”
“So happy for you both,” said Roger heartily. He wrung Bobby’s hand again and sat down. But Bernard, next to him, noticed that as he picked up his napkin and spread it carefully over his lap, his hands were shaking.
“Why did she have to pick
my
dinner party to make that announcement?” mourned Snooky. He and Maya were clearing the table later that evening. Everyone had left half an hour before, in a flurry of thanks and slightly inebriated good-byes.
“I noticed how happy the whole family was.”
“It ruined everything. It ruined everything, Maya. I had the whole evening planned so carefully. We were going to sit in front of the fire and tell stories. It was all going so well, wasn’t it? And then she springs that announcement. Oh, damn.”
“Forgive me for asking,” said Bernard from his seat by the fire, “but what business is it of her family’s if she decides to remarry?”
“It’s something you wouldn’t understand, Bernard. It’s a worldly concern. Something that someone like you wouldn’t comprehend. It has to do with money.”
“What about money?”
“Irma is rich, Bernard. Rich beyond your wildest dreams. Her husband left her everything except for a half-share of the house, which he gave to his sister Gertie. But Gertie didn’t get any money, just a life interest in the house. And nobody else got anything at all. They’re all dependent on Irma in one way or another. Roger thought he was an entrepreneur, like Hugo, but all his businesses failed one after another. Sarah said it was pathetic, how he would come to Irma and Hugo—and now just Irma—with his hat in hishand, asking for money. Anyway, how do you think they would all feel if Irma marries again and leaves her fortune to Bobby? They’re only human, Bernard. They’ve got to be disappointed.” Snooky balanced three plates on top of each other with an angry clatter.
Bernard had lost interest long ago. He sat gazing happily into the
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