"Could I have a Coke and some aspirin instead?"

"Sure. I'll get it. Come on back."

We walked back to the sunporch, which is my favorite room in Sister's house. Filled with wicker furniture and plants, it overlooks the city from the crest of Red Mountain, just as Vulcan does. Mary Alice rattles around in this huge, elegant old house. The cost of heating and cooling it boggles my mind. But it would take a bulldozer to get her to move. And looking out over the valley, especially at sunset, it's easy to understand why.

"This is lovely," Trinity Buckalew said, walking to the window. "Look at that view."

In the bright light of the sunporch, I could see that she was not as old as I had first thought. Probably around my age, sixty, which would be about right, since she was Meg's second youngest sister. Gray hair that had been held down by the felt hat had sprung straight up, and the only makeup she wore was lipstick. But Trinity Buckalew, far from pretty, was an

attractive woman with interesting, angular features. She looked nothing like Meg.

"I'll go get your Coke and aspirin," I said. "Make yourself at home."

She nodded and turned back to the view. ' 'Look at the planes taking off."

I went into Sister's ultramodern kitchen, where she has never cooked a meal but where the caterers can move around comfortably; patted Bubba, her fat, lazy cat who spends his days sleeping on a heating pad on the Corian counter; and got a couple of Cokes from the refrigerator.

I was pouring them into glasses when Sister came in. "What's she like?" she whispered.

"Big. Not fat, just big. Looks like Julia Child. Sounds like her, too. Said they knew it was going to happen."

"What?"

"Meg dying."

"Really? She said that?"

"And she wears a blue cape and a blue felt hat like a man's."

"Really?" Sister reached for the Cokes. "I'll take these in."

"Wait a minute." I reached for my Coke. "What did Henry say?"

"He says he's madly in love with my daughter. I told him not to consider interrupting their honeymoon, that we would go to Meg's funeral."

"You told him what?"

"Well, Meg came up for the wedding. Lord, Mouse. Don't stand there looking like you've swallowed a bug. It's the least we can do. Tit for tat."

"Not exactly," I said, getting the aspirin from the cabinet and following her out of the kitchen.

"Trinity," I heard her say, "I'm Mary Alice. I'm so grieved about dear Meg."

As I rounded the corner of the sunporch, they were already hugging. Grateful that I was not caught between them, I sat down on the wicker sofa, opened the aspirin bottle, and took two.

"How tall are you?" Trinity sniffled.

"Five twelve. Why?"

"Just wondered."

"How tall are you?"

"Six two."