“Come sit next to me for a minute.”

“No, thanks, I’ll stand. I want her out of here. She has plenty of brass and you polish it for her. Don’t think she didn’t enjoy the fact that you said nothing to me about going to that convention.”

“I was going to tell you about it today.”

“Tell me? Obviously, then, we’re not going to discuss it. It’s all been decided.”

“I have to go, Irene. The bigger the number, the louder the voice. This is a chance for the people to show they won’t have policy pushed onto them.”

“Let’s start determining a little policy around here. First of all, this is not a place for self-appointed rebels to flop. If she wants to try moving in on you, let her do it at your office, not here.”

“She’s not moving in on me. She’s got a slight case of hero-worship, that’s all. She’s a little mixed up right now and she doesn’t quite know how to handle her emotions.”

“It’s not her emotions she wants to handle.”

“Will you stop being so hard on people? I told you last night what she’s going through—”

“I don’t want to hear any more about her ‘political conscience.’ She’s aggressive, presumptuous and ill-mannered. And I’ll tell you right now I don’t like the idea of your going off to that convention with her.”

“And I don’t like the idea of your not trusting me. Besides, eleven of us are going. Come on now, let’s not fight anymore.” He rolled to the edge of the bed and put his feet on the floor. “If you don’t like her, I’ll make sure she doesn’t come here anymore. I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I don’t want you to give in just because you don’t want to fight. I want you to understand what I’m saying about her.”

“I understand; I just feel differently about it. If she makes you that uncomfortable, we won’t have her here.”

Over breakfast, Sylvia reversed her tactics. She directed all her attention to me, asked questions about teaching, about Regina’s­ long illness and how I coped with it, then complimented me on my taste in fixing up the house. Frank listened to it all without a trace of “I told you so,” something I both admired and resented. Relief came when he and Regina left to take Sylvia home. I needed the house to myself and I worked quickly to set it straight. I emptied ashtrays, vacuumed the rug, washed the wineglasses, and removed the candle stubs from their holders. It was the clean-up after the invasion, a grand sweep to wipe out every trace of the enemy’s occupation. I sprayed Lysol until the air was thick with it.

When Frank and Regina returned, I was washing up the breakfast dishes and humming as I envisioned the three of us spending this lazy day working in the yard. Frank gave Regina a Popsicle, then went up to change into his yard clothes. She sat down at the table behind me.