“Good! Now it will be much easier for us to stay in touch. I’ve always felt a special connection to the girls who babysat for us, and especially you. When else do we get into other people’s homes and see how they live? It’s such intimate work. And it was so nice not to be the only woman in the house.”

Maureen gestured for Ann to take a seat at the kitchen table in the breakfast nook overlooking the backyard. It was still decorated in vintage Maureen: bright Lilly Pulitzer fabric on the seat cushions and curtains.

“I’m so glad I heard your knock. I was in the basement folding laundry when you arrived.”

“You fold your own laundry?”

“Look around, my dear. I do my own everything these days. My cleaning lady is long gone. No more ironed linens. Let’s face it, nobody buys clipboards anymore.”

“Clipboards?”

“You didn’t know? That’s what the business made. My father even patented the spring clip. With computers and all that, who needs ’em? Anthony tried to think of a way to diversify into laminate, cookbook holders, that sort of thing, but it’s hard to diversify a clipboard. Enough about that. So, I have to ask. What brings you here? It’s lovely to see you of course, but so entirely unexpected.”

Ann wasn’t sure what to say, or where to begin. “I was in the area.”

Maureen was instantly skeptical. “My dear, nobody is ever just in this area. You either live here or you come here to visit someone who does. Why, just last week our neighbor called the cops because she saw a strange man sitting in a car. Turned out it was a housekeeper’s husband just waiting to pick up his wife while she cleaned. Of course they were black. It’s awful what goes on right here in this supposedly liberal place. I’m not sad I’ll be gone soon.”

Before Ann could ask what she meant—gone where?—she felt her stomach twist at the sound of footsteps above her. “Someone’s here?”

Maureen frowned. “Oh, that’s Tony.”

Ann’s body flushed with heat and fear. “He’s home? During the day?”

“All day, every day. He’s sick, Ann. Depressed. I used to be embarrassed to say that word but I decided I didn’t want to be that proud person any longer. Through acting I’ve learned to pay attention to how I’m acting all the time. I became a character in my own life. I decided not to be that character anymore unless I’m on the stage. I’m being me for a change. Tell me, does your family still have that wonderful old house in Wellfleet?”