truffles.
A little book with quotes from Jane Austenâs novels.
A handwritten promiseâ¦
âMax, Pudge Laurance.â The speaker phone magnified the despair in Pudgeâs voice. âIâve blown it. I should have waited and let you talk to her. Now, God, I donât think sheâll ever listen to me. But I was just trying to tell her about that guy your momâs involved with.â
Max pushed back the list, sat up straight. âMy mother?â
âYeah. Listenâ¦â
Max listened. When Pudge finished, Max chuckled. âSounds like Laurel, all right. Listen, Pudge, I guess every family has someââMax paused, drew a huge question mark, festooned it with headstonesââunusual members.â Max knew that was not very explicit, but if Pudge hung around long enough, he would surely get used to Laurel. Although it was odd that Annie, who had coped with enthusiasms ranging from wedding customs to old-fashioned hand fans adorned with quotes from Shakespeare, should be so concerned about Laurelâs efforts to communicate with Buddy. âIâll talk to Annie about it,â Max said reassuringly. âMaybe sheâs overreacting because sheâs upset about seeing you.â Sure, that could be the case. Max drew a cat with its fur standing on end. Annie reacted to her father like a cat sighting a Doberman. And good old Pudge was a cocker spaniel if heâd ever met one. âYou know, Pudge, you shouldnât have sprung it on Annie that youâd married again. At least not at this point.â
âBut she asked meâ¦â Pudgeâs voice trailed away. âI was trying to explain because I thought Annie should know about this Swanson guy. But she didnât give me a chance to finish. And Max, Iâm afraid itâs more serious than you think. Everybodyâs furious over here.â There was a thoughtful pause. âExcept Happy. Of course, she canât ever act mad, itâs not in her job description.â His tone was dry.
âJob description?â Max added a bow to the catâs collar. Not that anyone would ever collar Annie.
âOh, Happyâs such aâwell, I shouldnât be critical. She means well. God, does she mean well! But being around her is like existing in an alternative universe. Happy absolutely refuses to admit that it isnât the best of all possible worlds even when somethingâs really bugging her. And something is driving her nuts or she wouldnât have asked me to come here. But that isnât the reason I came. I came because I thought old Ambrose might finally tell me where Judy and Annie were living. I didnât knowabout Judy. Dammitâânow he was indignantââif Judy hadnât written me off, I could have kept in touch with Annie. And I would have. Max, do you think Annie will ever believe me?â
Max didnât have an answer. Annie was hurt and sheâd been hurt for a long, long time. âLetâs take it one step at a time, Pudge.â
âIâm almost ready to get the hell out. This mess over here is enough to push everybody over the edge. Then theyâll all be nuts like Marguerite. Sheâs convinced this Swanson dude has a pipeline to Eternity and sheâs been shoveling money at him. Happy moans about it, but something more is worrying her. I canât put my finger on it, but she acts damn odd when we start talking about her sister and the rest of the family. As for Marguerite, everybody glares at her and the old hag is having the time of her life. Sheâs planning a dinner in Swansonâs honor. Even Happy looks glum. If it werenât for Annie, I wouldnât spend another night here. Well, Annie and Rachel. Rachelâs a good kid.â
âWhoâs Rachel?â But Maxâs tone was absent. An idea began to form.
âRachel Van Meer, Happyâs daughter by her second marriage.â Pudgeâs
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