TESS: He said just until he could afford something bigger, but I got attached to it. That’s how it was with Jon. At first I wasn’t sure, but then I got . . .

WALTER: Attached. (Beat)

MARJORIE: It’s a good thing you found him.

TESS: Lucky I found someone so tolerant.

MARJORIE: That’s not what I meant.

TESS: No, I’m not picking a fight, I’m serious. Jon is so good.

MARJORIE: You should tell him more often.

TESS: I should.

WALTER (As if he might have just gone out for coffee): Where is Jon?

TESS: I’m afraid I don’t have that information.

(Long pause.*)

WALTER: I wish he would stop by.

MARJORIE: I didn’t always like him, you know.

TESS: I’m aware.

MARJORIE: I didn’t like his beard.

WALTER: Or his politics. What did you call him? A latter-day hippie?

MARJORIE: Mostly it was the beard.

WALTER: Luckily the politics went out with the beard.

TESS: That’s not true! The beard went away overnight. The politics . . . mellowed.

MARJORIE: Well, I’m glad you have someone dear.

TESS (Bemused): “Someone dear.”

MARJORIE: What. What have I done now.

TESS: It’s just—it’s an elegant thing to say. People don’t talk like that anymore. I wish they did.

WALTER: Our daughter is afraid of the future.

MARJORIE: Well that’s no good.

It’ll be here soon, we might as well be friendly with it.

TESS: ’Cause god knows you’re always friendly.

WALTER: You two.

How is Micah doing?

MARJORIE: Ah yes, a change of subject.

TESS: It’s a lot of responsibility, chef de cuisine, but he enjoys the challenge.

MARJORIE: And my little favorite?

TESS: You’d barely know Raina. She’s a working girl now. She even has her own hair color. I’d almost forgotten what it was.

MARJORIE: I always knew she’d make something of herself.

Of course I thought it’d be music.

WALTER: I wish I’d gotten to know her better.

(Marjorie begins to hum the Largo from Vivaldi’s “Winter.” Maybe one of her hands fingers the notes, absently.)

TESS: Have they been opening the blinds, Mom?

MARJORIE: Julie has, I think.

TESS: Good. I don’t want you sitting in the dark.

(Long pause.)

Jon thinks I’m on my feet too much. He says I should slow down.

WALTER: That isn’t a bad idea.

(Long pause.)

MARJORIE: Sometimes I think about Toni. She was such an affectionate dog.

(To Tess) Do you remember?

TESS: Of course I do.

MARJORIE: You were still awfully young.

(To Walter) We went to the pound to pick her out, remember?

TESS: Of course he does, Mom.