Chapter 15

“That never stopped you before! Are you getting dotty in your old age?”

“Dotty! No one’s used that word in years.”

“But you know what it means. That proves how old you are!”

“William D. Weldon!” Ethyl said. “In the last thirty seconds you’ve managed to insult both our hosts!”

Ethyl must have seen the horror on my face.

“Don’t pay attention to them, Chris.” She stood and took my arm. “One of these days I’m going to step back and let them kill each other. Let’s see what Judith fixed this time.”

“It smelled good when I came through.”

We heard laughter as we went out into the dining room. 7

The dinner had been filled with sibling jibes and barbs. They never stopped. Bill managed to tell me about Car’s first boyfriend and a few other juicy bits that happened when they were young. He went on and on about Car’s childhood until Car threatened to castrate him if he didn’t shut up.

Ethyl offered to help her. I stayed out of it.