“It doesn’t matter, Miss War-sha-sky,” Billy burst out, his cheeks flaming. “Because I’ll pay April’s bills if they fight Bron’s work comp claim, and I’ll put the money up for the basketball program. I’d have to sell some stock, and I need my trustees’ permission to do that, but if they won’t allow it, well, I guess a bank would lend me money, because they know I’ll get my shares when I’m twenty-seven. I guess I can pay interest that long.”

“That will make a wonderful headline.” I smiled at him. “‘Bysen Heir Borrows Money to Meet Grandpa’s Moral Obligations.’ You all go home and think it over. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving—you can call me on Monday with your decision, after the long weekend.”

Uncle Gary thought he would prove he was the tough son by arguing with me, but I said, “Good-bye, Gary. I need a rest. You go on now, all of you.”

The Bysen party filed out, muttering to each other. I heard Buffalo Bill snap at Gary, “Jacqui was bad news from day one. Claimed to be a Christian, hnnh, I guess if you’d been in Eden, you’d have listened to the snake, too, because—”

May Irene cut him off. “We have enough worries now, dear, let’s cherish what’s left of our family.”

My team stayed a little longer, hashing over the meeting, trying to guess which way the Bysens would jump. Finally, Morrell and the Loves left to visit Marcena. Amy was driving down to St. Louis to spend Thanksgiving with her family. I got up on my wobbly legs and hobbled out with Mr. Contreras and the dogs, heading to my own home for the first time in a week. We were going up to Evanston tomorrow, to have Thanksgiving with Lotty at Max Loewenthal’s house, but this afternoon I was glad to fall into my own bed.

48

Dancing Rhino

Morrell and I joined a cast of thousands at Max’s for Thanksgiving dinner. He always has a big crowd—his daughter flies in from New York with her husband and children, his and Lotty’s musician friends show up early and stay late, and Lotty always invites stray interns from her service at Beth Israel. Mr. Contreras came this year, happy to escape his petulant daughter’s house. As soon as Max heard about the Loves, he opened his doors to them, and even suggested I invite Billy and Mary Ann McFarlane—he hated to think of Billy, estranged from his family, spending Thanksgiving alone. But Billy was helping Pastor Andrés serve turkey dinners to the homeless, and Mary Ann said her neighbor was bringing dinner over and she’d be just fine without me.