Vivian stepped into the living room.

“Hello, Irene.” She smiled meekly and looked quickly around the room. “Is Frank here?”

“As a matter of fact, he’s not.” Get on your feet, you idiot! I stood up. “He’s in Chicago. On business.”

“Oh? He’s not teaching at the university anymore?”

“It’s university business.”

We stood there awkward and silent. Finally, Gloria said, “I think I’ll do the dishes. If you’ll excuse me . . .” She picked up the coffee cups from the dining room table—and the joint along with them.

“I know I’m not supposed to be here,” said Vivian. “I just took a chance that maybe Frank has softened a little.”

“I don’t think he has. I’m sorry.” What are you doing standing here in the dining room while she’s standing in there? Get moving! “I really don’t know what to say.” I moved forward a few steps. “Would you like to sit down for a few minutes?”

“I’d better not, since Frank’s not here.” But she didn’t move. “You never cashed that second check I sent you.”

“I couldn’t. I—”

“I understand, believe me.” She bit her lip and looked at the floor. “Irene, I’m going to ask you a big favor. I’ve got to ask it. Can I see the baby?”

“The baby?”

“Sorry. She must be six now, going into first grade.”

“Kindergarten. She was sick last year.”

Her face darkened. “How sick?”

“Rheumatic fever. She was in the house for eight months.”

“Is she all right?”

“Oh, yes. Spunky and sassy.”

She smiled. “Could I see her. Just see her. I won’t say a word to her. You don’t have to tell her who I am. Please, you don’t know what it would mean to me.”

I couldn’t stand hearing her beg. “If Frank ever found out . . .”

“Irene, I know it’s asking a lot, but I promise you he’ll never know. No one will know. Even Leo doesn’t know I came here.”

“Yes, you must promise me that.”

“I do promise you.”

We found Regina sprawled out on the bed, still dressed and sound asleep in a pile of comics. The food on the nightstand hadn’t been touched; the raisins and lemon peel and cherry lay in a puddle of cream.

“She was being punished,” I whispered in hasty explanation. “She didn’t want to tare her shoys—” Idiot! “—I mean share her toys.” God, I thought, I hope she can’t smell that stuff.

She smiled and bent down closer to Regina. “Lovely, lovely. She’s going to be tall like Frank.”

“Yes, she looks just like Frank.”

“I hope she’s not going to slouch. Tall girls have a tendency to do that. I had to teach myself not to. What’s her name?”

“Regina.”

She looked as if she didn’t believe me. “Regina?”

“Yes.”

“Then Frank must have named her.”

“Yes.” I watched her bend even closer, until her face nearly touched Regina’s. “She’s a light sleeper,” I lied. I was beginning to feel a vague resentment. Vivian took the hint and followed me out of the room.