“How’s your mother?”

She shook her head. “Hopeless. She’s drunk all the time now. I was going to stay three days with her, but all I could take was one night. She won’t hire a housekeeper or a gardener; the place is in a complete shambles, yet she won’t sell it and move into an apartment. She won’t listen to anything I say; she just wants to be left alone to drink. I’ll tell you, there’s no one explanation for a bad marriage, I realize that now. She was miserable when he was alive, but she’s more miserable now that he’s dead. I’ve decided she’s just lazy. I know that sounds callous, but . . . happiness takes a lot of work. Misery takes no work.”

“Amen.”

“I’ve had to change my mind about a lot of things, mainly her and him. And you and Frank. Obviously you’ve made a go of it.”

“Yes. But the differences become more sharply defined as we get older. You know he went to that demonstration. He’s very political and I’m not at all.”

“I’m not, either. I can’t make up my mind about politics. Sometimes it all seems so complicated and other times I feel it’s so damned simple-minded, just a lot of sloganeering.” She smiled. “I feel the same way about Brian. Sometimes I look at him and think he’s only three and therefore just a simple little soul. Then he turns around and does something that makes me say, ‘No, he’s already a complex little individual.’ Do you ever feel that way about Regina?”

“Oh, yes. She’s got her tricks and her stratagems. Not all of them pleasant, I’m afraid.”

“Frightening little creatures, aren’t they, when you realize they have thoughts of their own.”

“Who’s that?”

We both looked at Regina, standing in the archway. She was pointing to the couch, which we couldn’t see. “Who’s that?” she repeated.

“That’s Brian,” I said. “And this is Gloria.”

“Hello, Regina.”

“Hello. When’s Daddy coming home?”

“I told you, not for a few days. Gloria and Brian are staying with us. Daddy will be back after they leave.”

“Daddy’s coming back when they go?”

“Yes.”

“If they go now, will he come home now?”

Gloria laughed. “She’s way ahead of you, Irene.”

“Are they sleeping here?”

“Yes, they’re sleeping here. Do you want some cookies and milk?”

“Is Sylvia going to stay with us too?”

“Sylvia’s out of town.”

“With Daddy?”

“Yes, they went to a convention. Now let’s stop with the questions. What big plans do you have for the afternoon?”

“I want to go to Susan’s.”

“Fine, but be home by four-thirty. That way you can play with Brian for a little while before dinner.”

She looked disdainfully in the direction of the couch. “I don’t want to play with him. He’s a baby.”

“He’s small,” I said, “but he’s not a baby. He’s three.”

“I’m six. Three and three is six.”

I could see Gloria was amused by this exchange, but I was growing impatient. “You can still have fun together.”