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Chapters (45)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. Permissions Acknowledgments
  44. Also by Wendy Wasserstein
  45. Copyright Page

“Abe likes to watch either old movies or the news and that’s it. Sometimes I think he now confuses the president with a World War II movie.”

“It’s wishful thinking.” Frankie tried to lighten the conversation. “I prefer Henry Fonda in Mister Roberts to watching the president.”

“Oh, I had such a crush on Henry Fonda.” Helen began to feed Abraham chocolate pudding that was on the side table. “‘We’re the people!’ Right! Isn’t that what the mother told him in The Grapes of Wrath? ”

Frankie sat still as Helen wiped her father’s chin with one hand and switched the channel with the remote in her other. She clicked past a rerun of the president predicting “gathering danger in Iraq.”

“They’ll never find those weapons. But if it’s good for Israel, it’s good for me. Right, Abraham?” Helen squeezed his hand.

“Mommy, that hurts.” He looked at her.

Helen kissed his head. “I know, sweetie, I know.” She stopped clicking the remote when she came to Bringing Up Baby on Turner Classic Movies.

“You’re gonna like this one, Abe. It’s got Cary Grant. He reminds me a little of you.” She touched his face lovingly.

Abraham smiled and stretched his arm around Helen.

Frankie stared at her father’s skin. She examined the properties of color, protective covering, and identifying characteristics, just as Charlie had asked the students to do at I.S. 104. Looking at her father’s hand, she concluded that the age spots on his knuckles and the lifeline on his palm belonged to a previous century.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

·CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE·

Clarice

Clarice made a list of her abilities for her new nutritionist homeopathic adviser.

Manage household staff in four homes—New York, Nantucket, Malibu, Aspen. Make certain that Barry’s favorite English muffins and orange juice were made available by the household staff in each home if he happened to drop in at a moment’s notice. Assure availability of Barry’s favorite potato chips, pizza, diet Dr Pepper, Newman’s Own pretzels, Russ & Daughters whitefish salad, no-fat soy gouda, and all medications. Access to the best doctors in New York, Los Angeles, Denver (for Aspen), and Boston (for Nantucket), and remaining current on them. In-depth knowledge of all Barry’s ailments: high blood pressure, gallstones, lower back pain, and frozen elbow. Have access at all times to Dr. Frank Petito (professor of neurology at NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center) and his cell number. Keeping the children happy, healthy, and succeeding at school. Knowing she was very lucky.