Helen’s POV

Stephanie is coming to dinner tonight for the first time in months. I realize I haven’t seen my daughter since Tank and Robert were here to confirm she was trained to their standards. I’m actually looking forward to seeing her. Mother says that Stephanie has been quieter and more thoughtful lately.

I’m thrilled she hasn’t been hurt in months.

Knowing that she’s now trained for this job and prepared for the danger that follows her around everywhere has made my life much easier the past few months. I can walk around the Burg knowing that she’s safe and that Hector or Henry is with her. They’ll protect her but if they can’t, if something happens, Stephanie can also protect herself until help arrives. I’m proud of that. My daughter is trained for her (horribly ridiculously dangerous) job.

I head to Sal’s to shop for a nice pork loin for dinner. This new RangeMan diet is also wonderful. I’ve lost weight slipping Frank their meals and Frank’s heart numbers are down. He realized what I’d done when the doctor asked him if he’d made dietary changes lately, because his numbers were wonderful.

I was busted.

Frank came home and asked me exactly what I’d changed. I confessed to slipping him the vegetables and whole grains for the past few months. Frank looked at me in slight shock but he’s not said anything else about it. He ate it, I was still serving dessert, and he was healthier.

Frank’s also been amorous for the first time in years. I’m trying to figure out exactly what it is I’m feeding him that’s causing him to act like that.

---

Valerie’s complaining lately is getting on my nerves.

I understand that she wants to stay at home with Lisa, but she complains about it every single day. The girls have commented on it. Frank has commented on it. Mother told me, before she left for Florida, to shut Valerie up.

“She’s whining for something that never existed! For god’s sake, Helen, help the girl understand that being a stay-at-home mother was more than what you saw!”

I’m not sure how to do that. I’ve spent the day with Valerie, before she started working, that is. That was my life. Valerie’s doing the exact same thing I did and I’m still surprised I managed to stay so busy during the day.

Albert’s successfully gotten his mediation license and, surprisingly, he’s good at it. His ability to stay calm and make the opposing sides talk is giving him successes for the first time in years. He’s happy to be a success and is hoping to make his name in mediation. His success got Valerie excited.

“Mommy, isn’t it great! Albert is a success, I’m a success and I’ll be able to quit working soon.”

Frank and I looked at her. Frank turned and looked at me and I sighed.

“Valerie, you’ve only been working two months. That’s not enough time for you and Albert to dig yourselves out of your hole. You’ll need to work for a little while longer before you can quit.”

I doubt Valerie heard me. She was dreaming of the day she could quit and stay at home with Lisa. Lisa had stopped screaming and was learning to walk. I was surprised to find she knew a few words, like stop, no, and MINE.

The next day, Valerie came over for dinner and whined the entire time. She hates her coworkers. She hates her boss. She thinks the furniture is mostly ugly. She has lots of ideas no one is listening to. I was trying to get dinner on the table and she was whining and I’d had it.

“Congratulations, Valerie!” I yelled. Valerie stopped in shock. “You’re a working woman now. You don’t get to call the shots. You don’t get to make the decisions. You have to do as others tell you to do. That’s the penalty for making money outside the house and it’s your life now. You need that money, so shut up and do as you’re told.”

I looked at my eldest, who looked stunned and teary, and sighed.

“Valerie, dear, you and Albert can’t afford for you to stay at home. You can’t. He needs help and you’re working a job that allows you to make money and help him. Someday, you’ll be allowed to be a stay-at-home mother again but it won’t happen until you two can afford it. When does Albert think you’ll be able to afford it?”

Valerie swallowed hard. “I don’t know. He handles the money.”

I stared at her, a bit shocked. Had she learned nothing from the disaster with Steve? “Then find out. And Valerie?” I turned to look at her. “You should never not know what the finances in your home are like. Steve cleaned out your bank accounts because you had no idea how much should be in there. I never had to work because I always knew when money was tight and I was able to make changes to allow us to make it through the lean times without me having to work.”

“What?”

I handed her the steamed green beans and boiled new potatoes. “Your father and I discussed money together. We decided on what to save for and what to splurge on. A week at the beach was something we saved all year to afford, which is why you girls always had packed lunches for school. That’s why I bought clothes on sale once a season. I did the things necessary to allow us to live on one income. You and Albert didn’t, so now you have to work.”

I took the stuffed cabbage out to the table, we said grace, and everyone dug in. I waited for a while before turning to Albert. “Albert, how long do you think it will be before you and Valerie are over the hump?”

Albert swallowed hard and looked at me, then Valerie, who still looked angry. “I’m not sure.”

Frank was shoveling it in, but he was listening.

“What do you mean? How much do you owe?”

“Well,” Albert said slowly, “I have over $100,000 in student loans from grad and undergrad.” Frank choked on the stuffed cabbage and looked up in shock. “Then there’s our total credit card debt, which is somewhere around $50,000. Valerie needs a new minivan soon, the baby is coming . . . ” He stared at the wall for a while. “I’d say about—”

“Ten years,” Frank said. Everyone looked down the table at him but he was staring at Albert. “I’d say at least ten years, if not more.”

Albert nodded, looking a little relieved that Frank said it instead of him. Valerie looked outraged.

“Ten years? Ten years! You said I’d only have to work for a little while. I’d only have to work until we got over the hump! Ten years is not a little while! Ten years means I won’t be at home with Lisa or this baby!”

Valerie sat down and burst into tears. I looked down the table at Frank but he was back to concentrating on his plate. Albert, the girls and I all stared at Valerie as she sobbed. Lisa decided she needed to help her mother so she started screaming.

I thought about the location of my whisky in the pantry and sighed. Dessert couldn’t come fast enough.

---

Every dinner since has been miserable. Valerie is angry and is taking it out on everyone else. Frank is ignoring it and Albert looks miserable.

I’m hoping Mother can talk some sense into her at dinner tonight. Stephanie told me to set six places at the table, so I’m hoping that means Hector and Henry are both accompanying her tonight. Finally, at 5:45, the RangeMan SUV pulls up and Mother and some old man climb out of the passenger side. Stephanie appears with Ramsay, Hector and a little boy. This must be the little boy Stephanie was spotted with at the shore. He’s adorable. They all approach the stoop.

“Hey, Helen! Anyone die while I was gone?”

I shake my head. “I collected all the obituary columns for you while you were gone.” I smile at my daughter. “Welcome home, Stephanie. Hola, Hector.” His eyebrows rise, but he nods his head to me solemnly. I crouch down. “Hello!”

The child hides behind Hector’s leg partially. Hector murmurs something to the child and he peeks out and says “Hi!”

“What’s your name?”

“Hector.”

I look up at Stephanie, who nods. “Hector Manuel. He’s named for his tío, his uncle. Hector,” she says, motioning to Hector.

I smile. “Does he have a nickname?”

“Manny.”

I look at the little boy. “Hello, Manny.”

He waves and smiles but moves until he’s between Hector and Stephanie and holding on to their legs. My heart goes pitter-patter and I really want to tell Stephanie how adorable she looks with a child but I remember my promise to Frank and sigh. I stand back up and look at Ramsay. “Ramsay, good to see you again.” He smiles, which quickly becomes a grin as I hear what sounds like a stampede from the house. I turn. Angela and Mary Alice come running from the house at him.

“Ram!” The girls attempt to tackle him but he does something and he’s soon hoisting both girls in the air and they’re giggling. I smile in spite of myself.

“Girls! That’s unladylike. What would the –”

“No one cares, Mother,” Stephanie says quietly but firmly. I turn to her and she looks angry. “They’re happy to see Ram. Let them have that without ruining it.”

“That’s right, Helen,” Mother says, frowning. “Hell, all I’ve heard from Valerie is whining when I call to speak to her, so I’m sure she’s been making those poor girls miserable. Let them smile and be happy for a while. Come on.” She grabs me and the man by the arms and starts trying to drag me in the house, but I’m confused.

“Hello. I’m Helen Plum. You are?”

“Larry Goldstein. Nice to meet you, Helen. Your mother’s told me all about you.”

I smile. “Welcome to our home.” I’m wondering if Jews have any special diet needs I need to know about. I’m serving pork for dinner. Is that allowed? I wish I knew.

We all troop in and Frank greets the RangeMen, who quickly help him extend the table. Mother introduces Larry and I catch the end of her introduction.

“—moving to Florida next week. Larry lives close to the beach and we’re gonna sunbathe and have fun for the rest of our lives.”

“Got that right, cutie pie,” Larry says, smiling at Mother. I’m stunned.

“Mother! You’re moving? Where? Why? To Florida? It’s hot in Florida and you don’t know anyone and—”

“Enough, Helen!” Mother yells. It’s silent in the house and everyone is looking at us. I redden.

“Fine. I could use some help in the kitchen.”

I watch mother and Stephanie look at each other, both unwilling to join me. “Val, help your mother,” Mother says.

“She doesn’t want to talk to me. She wants to talk to you,” Val replies sullenly. I sigh. This is so embarrassing.

“Fine, let’s all help Mom in the kitchen,” Stephanie says. I smile at her gratefully. We all troop into the kitchen and I stare at Mother while Stephanie plates the green beans and the mashed potatoes, pours the gravy into the gravy boats (She didn’t check for lumps. Sigh. I was hoping Ella was teaching her to cook.), and grabs the rolls. Valerie checks the temperature of the pork roast and grabs the plates and glasses. I’m surprised to see the girls just do this without being ordered.

“Mother, I –” I falter. I don’t know what to say.

“I’m moving to Florida. I like Larry and he likes me. I’m not trying to get married or do anything stupid like that. I’m just going to stay with him for a while, hang out at the beach, and see if we want to be permanent. He wants to marry me but I’m not ready for that yet.”

“That’s right, Grandma,” Stephanie says, smiling. “Do what you want to do.”

“Steph! That’s horrible. They’ll be living in sin. Grandma’s an old lady. How do we know he’s not after her money?” Val says. I’m grateful she said that.

Stephanie and Mother look at each other and burst into laughter. “What money?” Mother asks. “I live off Social Security and handouts. He knows I’m not some wealthy heiress. I’m a woman on a fixed income who lives in her granddaughter’s apartment and uses her Social Security to survive.”

“Besides, live in sin?” Stephanie says, laughing. “Grandma’s—”

“Old enough not to have to have her age mentioned.”

Stephanie hides a smile and nods at Mother. “Right. It’s not like Larry’s going to knock Grandma up.” Val and I both make the sign of the cross over our chests and they laugh. “They just want to live together for a while. They liked each other and had fun. Larry’s a good guy and Grandma can make her own decisions.” She shrugs and turns to Mother. “We did a background on him. He’s clean.”

Mother glares at Stephanie, hands on hips. “Who asked you to do a background on my boyfriend?” she asks indignantly.

Stephanie looks at her calmly. “Eddie DeChooch.” Mother deflates and I’m eternally grateful Stephanie had the forethought to watch out for her grandmother. DeChooch was a disaster. “If you ever get in trouble, call RangeMan. The men will come get you and call me.”

Mother stares at her for a moment before sighing. “I know. Besides, it’ll be nice not to be in the snow all winter.”

“So you won’t be here for Thanksgiving? Or Christmas?” I ask. I can’t imagine the holidays without Mother.

“Yes, I’ll be here. I’ll get some cheap flights. But I like the idea of living at the beach. I’m going to enjoy the time I have left and I’m sick of living in Trenton. Time to move to Florida with a handsome man who likes the fact that I like to sunbathe nude.”

I look at Stephanie in shock and she nods, smiling big. I could have lived my entire life without hearing that.

---

Larry is fine eating pork. “I don’t keep Kosher, Helen,” he says, biting into the juicy pork roast. Frank made sure Larry was seated near him and has been keeping up a stream of conversation with him all night. I can see the gleam in Frank’s eyes. A way to get Mother out of our house permanently? Frank would converse with the Devil himself to make that happen.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to learn more about what Stephanie’s doing. She tells me that she’s doing reviews of the branches and it’s going well.

“The branch heads know what they’re doing. My job is really just getting them the stuff they need. The reviews are going well.”

She and Hector are tag-teaming with little Manny, cutting up his meat and vegetables and reminding him to use his napkin. It’s wonderful! Maybe Stephanie will start thinking about babies now. She’s doing wonderfully with Manny. He has excellent manners and I can’t help but look at him. He’s such a beautiful child.

I nod and pass her more gravy. “I’m glad to hear you’re doing so well. Elaine Minardi was bragging on her daughter and I told her that you were off in Miami doing another review.” I smile broadly. “My daughter is a managing director. Her daughter is a secretary.” I look over at Valerie. “And my other daughter is the top saleswoman at her job. My daughters are doing impressive jobs and they’re good at it.”

I look at Stephanie, expecting to see a smile. Instead she’s frowning.

“So, now that I’m successful, you’re bragging on me to other people?”

I nod happily. “I’m so proud. I always thought you need a job that would show off your skills and this job does. You’re in charge and you’re good at what you do.”

The table is quiet. Stephanie is looking at me calmly. “I was in charge when I was a bounty hunter. I use the same skills. How is this different?”

“Because you aren’t getting hurt all the time,” I reply. “I told you, my only objection to your bounty hunting job was that you kept getting hurt. You’re still a bounty hunter, right?” She nods. “And you’re still picking up dangerous fugitives?” She nods. “But you also run a big company and you’re doing a good job, I’m sure. I’m proud. This is what I wanted to see you doing, something where you didn’t get hurt all the time.” I smile at Hector. “And you have a partner, a good partner. He might not understand English, but Mother says his rep is the best.”

Stephanie begins eating again and Mother starts telling us a story about a place called Swinging Richards which I’m sure doesn’t exist. Naked male dancers? Who would want to see that? Hector visibly shudders, which causes Stephanie and Ram to smile and pat his back. Larry laughs.

“I tell you, Helen, trying to get a date with your mother in Miami took an act of Congress! I never met a woman as busy as she was from the moment she landed.” Mother laughs and Larry smiles at her. “I had to move quickly to get onto her schedule.”

“I thought I only had a few days in Miami. I had to move fast.”

“Which is why I moved fast,” Larry replies, leering at Mother. They laugh. The entire table freezes in shock. Frank stops eating, grimaces, and pours more gravy over his mashed potatoes. Ramsay and Hector both shudder.

“What does that mean?” Mary Alice asks.

“Apparently, Mr. Larry slept with Grandma,” Angela answers.

“Girls!” “Angela!”

“So? What’s the big deal?” Mary Alice asks. “I sleep with grandma.”

Ramsay and Hector are both smiling slightly. Stephanie’s shoulders are shaking in silent laughter.

“Angie,” Ramsay begins, “I think that perhaps you should hold onto your explanation for another time.” He winks at her and she smiles. “Not quite appropriate for the table.”

Angela blushes. “Sorry, Ram.” She digs into her dinner again but Val is winding up again.

“Look, Ramsay, I appreciate you feel . . . ” Valerie searches for the appropriate word, then shrugs, “paternal toward Angela, but I’m her mother. It’s my job to discipline my child. I don’t need your assistance,” she says angrily. She turns to Albert. “This is why I need to be at home. Not only are my girls discussing inappropriate things at the table but now other people are getting involved because they don’t think I can discipline my girls,” she hisses angrily. “I want to be home!” Albert is red.

The entire table has, yet again, gotten quiet. Ramsay wipes his mouth and sets his silverware down. Stephanie puts a hand on his arm and he shakes his head and looks directly at Valerie.

“Angie, would you and MA leave the table for a few minutes? I’ll come get you,” Ram says, never taking his eyes off Valerie. The girls look at him, look at their mother, then at me. I nod and they leave.

“Now that the innocents are out of the room, I’ll be blunt. First, yelling at your daughters for asking innocent questions is a piss-poor parenting skill. They’re old enough to start asking questions in that direction and you need to have a better response than just yelling,” Ram says quietly.

No one is moving. Even Frank has frozen in place.

“Second, I don’t feel paternal toward your daughters. My feelings for them are more ‘big brother’ than anything else. I’m not trying to take Albert’s place in their lives but I am fond of them. They’re lively, active little girls and they’re sweet. It’s hard not to like them. Third, they learned how to behave at a table from you and this family. They’ve always asked inappropriate questions because they’ve listened to inappropriate conversation and witnessed questionable actions.”

“What do you mean by that?” Frank asks quietly. He’s getting angry but Ram looks at him calmly.

“Let’s see. Those girls have witnessed their great-grandmother grope god only knows how many men at this table. They’ve listened to conversations on penises, dildos, condoms, ‘packages’, and who knows what else. A few minutes ago we listened to a conversation about a visit to a male strip club. What about that was appropriate for the dinner table? Was any of that appropriate for those two girls to listen to? That’s just what I’ve been here to witness but I’ll take a survey of the RangeMen back on Haywood if you’d like a complete list of dinner conversations we’ve enjoyed.”

Mother is completely red. So is Valerie. I’m sure I am also. Frank is smiling and he reaches for another serving of pork.

“Back at Haywood, I have one of the reasons Angie high-tailed it to our offices to tell us what she overheard at the capital on tape.” He turns to me. “I intended to give you a copy at some point. She said, and I quote, ‘I’m tired of people kidnapping Aunt Steph. Every time they do, Grandma Plum drinks more until she returns’.”

I put my whisky down in shock. Frank looks up, looks at me, and slowly puts his fork and knife down. His smile has disappeared.

“If I recall correctly, Bobby watched you drink at least three glasses the day he and Tank brought Steph over after her accident. That’s not social drinking, Mrs. Plum. That’s alcoholism. When you need a drink to make it through the day, or make it through an event, it’s alcoholism.”

No one is breathing anymore except Stephanie, Hector, Manny and Larry. They’re still eating calmly, Manny watching everyone avidly.

“Aside from that, there’s the constant refrain that Steph should give up her job, get married and have babies, as if there’s nothing more to your daughters than their wombs. As if they’re nothing without men. Is that really what you think of Steph and Val, Mrs. Plum? That they’re useless without husbands? That a man defines them? If that’s the case, having met both of your ex-sons-in-law, I’d say your daughters are doing much better without them.”

My hands are shaking and my eyes are filling with tears. Hector passes me a handkerchief and I smile gratefully at him.

“Mrs. Kloughn, ever since you joined the workforce, we’ve listened to you complain about having to work, how much you hate your coworkers, your job, and everything else under the sun. Meanwhile, we never get a chance to hear how your husband is doing in his new job, although we do hear that you’re really making a name for yourself, Albert, so congrats.”

Albert pinks and smiles. “Thank you.”

Ramsay nods and turns back to Valerie. “In the meantime, I’m sure your husband didn’t appreciate having his manhood and his ability to provide for you questioned in front of friends, family, and virtual strangers a moment ago. But in order to make him feel bad and bully him into doing what you want, you cut him off at the knees. Well, as your mother has told you repeatedly, you can’t afford to sit on your ass at home. Your husband needs your help and more importantly, your girls need to see that when life gets tough, you do what you have to.”

He takes a sip of water and smiles at Steph. “Hopefully, if they don’t learn that lesson from you, they’ll learn it from their aunt, who lost everything and bounced back. Your sister is the epitome of never give up and now she’s doing well. She’s in charge of a major company and she’s using her skills to their best advantage, as your mother said earlier.

On behalf of those of us who have had to sit at a dinner table and listen to you whine about working, I’m telling you that you need to grow up. Everyone at this table, with the exception of your mother and grandmother, works or has worked at some point. Chances are your daughters will work someday and your attitude to working will affect theirs.

There are plenty of things about my job I don’t like. I hate scheduling and paperwork, although it’s gotten better. I hate when my colleagues are out of the office. I hate when Steph’s out of the office because it’s less fun. But I don’t complain. I focus on the things about my job I like. Someday I’ll hit the Lotto and I’ll retire and move back to Montana and hunt all day.

But until that day comes, I’ll keep my head down, my mouth shut, and focus on my job. If you want to know why your girls behave as they do at a dinner table, look around, here and at home, and ask yourself, ‘Is this conversation appropriate?'”

Ramsay snorts. “‘What would the neighbors say if they overheard this?’ ‘Will the new baby and Lisa start repeating the words they hear all the time because they hear us say it?'” I close my eyes in shame. Lisa has started saying ‘ass’ all the time and I meant to speak to Valerie about that. He stares at Val. “If you would be OK with the next-door neighbor hearing the conversation and seeing your dinnertime antics, then continue to do them in front of your daughters. It’s perfectly fine.”

It’s silent at the table. Ramsay begins to stand but Stephanie puts a hand on his forearm and he sits. She wipes her mouth and turns to me.

“Now that Ram has expressed the feelings of most”—he coughs—”all the men at RangeMan Trenton, let me add something. I’ve been trying to figure out how to say this all night.” Her jaw tightens. “The fact that you’re proud of me now for the first time that I can ever remember is sad. This is the first time I’ve ever heard you say you were proud of me, aside from when I married Dickie.

Ram’s right. I’ve never heard any praise from you that didn’t involve a man in some way. Ever. And now you’re bragging on me to other people. I don’t know what to think about that. What happens when Ranger comes back and I quit this job, Mom?”

My eyes widen. “Why . . . why would you quit?”

“This is a one-year contract. This job isn’t permanent. I’m doing Ranger’s job until he comes back. So when he comes back, are you back to being ashamed and embarrassed of me? What if I decide to go back to being a solo bounty hunter and not work for RangeMan, huh? Are you still going to be proud of me? Or will I still be an embarrassment?”

“We’ll be proud,” Frank says quietly. He’s actually sitting up in the seat, not eating. “We wanted you to get some training and experience. You’ve done that. I’m sure you can handle yourself anywhere now. We’re proud.”

“Yes,” I add. “Stephanie, I just wanted you not to be hurt anymore and you haven’t been in months. Still. . . ” I stop, frowning. “Why not take another job at RangeMan? It’s safe for you to work there and you’re doing a good job. That’s all I want. For you to be safe and protected.”

“I’ll decide what I want to do later. Right now, I’m still stuck on the fact that you’re actually bragging on me to other people. All I can think is that this is temporary and when I leave RangeMan I’ll be back to being an embarrassment, so I can’t even enjoy the fact that you’re bragging.

I can’t enjoy the fact that you say you’re proud of me.”

---

Ramsay retrieved the girls and we tried to resume dinner but it was impossible. I couldn’t look at my whiskey glass without thinking of his words and wondering if Angela really did insinuate that I have a drinking problem.

Frank was clearly having a problem at the other end of the table. Ramsay is one of his favorite RangeMen (aside from Angelo and Vincent) and he’d just listened to Ramsay insult every woman in his family with the truth and it was the truth. Even I acknowledge that as I sit here and try not to finish the whisky.

I’ll wait until Ram leaves to finish it. I hope it’s not too watered down by then.

Hearing Ramsay insult Mother amused Frank, but when he called me an alcoholic it wasn’t funny anymore. I also realized that my husband sat there and allowed an outsider to insult his family and said nothing. Nothing at all. He didn’t defend me, Mother or Valerie and I’m furious about that.

He can love the RangeMen all he wants, but I’m his wife. He should have said something to defend me.

Valerie glared at Ramsay for the rest of the evening, but Ramsay concentrated on his plate and never let on that he was embarrassed or regretful of any of the things he said. Albert smiled the rest of the evening over the unexpected compliment and largely tuned Valerie’s quiet whines out. Mother said nothing, just poured herself a large glass of red wine and sat quietly at the table. Larry looked at everyone and smiled.

“Well, that’s no worse than a Sunday dinner at my daughter’s house. God knows how many times I’ve been insulted there.”

Stephanie laughed. She, Manny, and the girls were the only ones.

---

I’m washing the dinner dishes with tears blurring my eyes.

Is that really what you think of Steph and Val, Mrs. Plum? That they’re useless without husbands? That a man defines them?

Bobby watched you drink at least three glasses the day he and Tank brought Steph over after her accident. That’s not social drinking, Mrs. Plum. That’s alcoholism.

‘I’m tired of people kidnapping Aunt Steph. Every time they do, Grandma Plum drinks more until she returns’

When you need a drink to make it through the day, or make it through an event, it’s alcoholism.

This is the first time I’ve ever heard you say you were proud of me, aside from when I married Dickie.

What would the neighbors say if they overheard this?

If you would be OK with the next-door neighbor hearing the conversation and seeing your dinnertime antics, then continue to do them in front of your daughters. It’s perfectly fine.

“Helen?” Frank says quietly. I turn around and he opens his arms. I lean my head on his shoulder and sob.

“Oh my God,” I cry. “Do we . . . are we . . . is it really that horrible sitting at our dinner table?” I stare at Frank and my eyes well up with tears. “I mean, I wanted to tell him to shut up, that he was wrong, that everything he said was a lie, but it wasn’t a lie, was it?” Frank shakes his head and I burst into tears again. I cry for a good 15 minutes before Frank hands me a cold wash cloth and pulls the stopper in the sink.

“It was horrible because it was all true,” Frank says quietly. “At first, I loved the way your mother looked shocked and insulted when he pointed out her dinner behavior but . . . ” Frank trails off and swallows hard. “On one hand, I wanted to kick his ass for sitting at my table, eating my food and insulting my family. Then I realized that the boy was right. Why on earth would anyone expect the girls to have better manners when they watch us?”

I lift my head to glare at him. “Ramsay may have been right but I can’t believe you allowed him to sit at our table and insult me! Me, Frank! I’m your wife and you allowed him to insult me.”

“Did he insult you, Helen?” Frank replies tiredly. “I mean, we’ve discussed the alcohol once before. You and Stephanie both tried to give up something. You gave up alcohol, she gave up sugar. Both of you failed, remember?”

I slump. Yes, I remember that. By the end, we were both frazzled and insane.

“Are you an alcoholic? I don’t know. I do know that what he said made me think.”

Me too but I still don’t like this conversation. He’s saying Ramsay was right to sit there and insult us.

“As for the other thing,”—Frank sighs—”when Pumpkin took that job I told you to lay off throwing men at her all the time. Ram said the same thing I told you: quit throwing her at every single man with a pulse you can find.”

I sniff and lean against his shoulder. “It’s not that I think they are nothing without men. It’s just that I’ve had 36 wonderful years with you.” I smile and Frank kisses my forehead. “I want them to have that same happiness and after Stephanie’s divorce it was almost as if she hated men.”

“She’d just been cheated on and dumped pretty brutally—”

“She divorced him!”

“And good for her! Dickie Orr was a pain in the backside and if he could cheat on her less than a year into the marriage, he was never going to be faithful. It was good thinking on her part to get out as fast as she did.”

“Still, I didn’t want her to give up on love—”

“You didn’t give her time to grieve the marriage before you were throwing men at her, Helen!” Frank looks exasperated. “Hell, in that Ramsay had a point. It was almost as if you thought that if she didn’t get a husband immediately she would die from neglect.”

“Well, it’s not as if Stephanie was the best at taking care of herself.”

Frank takes the dishrag from my hands and folds it across the sink. He begins turning off lights and we shut down the lower end of the house. I take a quick bath and prepare for bed as he takes his bath. Finally, we lie in the bed together, me with a glass of water and two Tylenol, Frank with the TV remote but the TV isn’t on. I take the Tylenol and Frank turns the TV on, tunes into the news and puts the TV on mute.

“Stephanie might not make a meatloaf every night to feed herself, but she is taking care of herself. She’s single with no kids and a hamster. She doesn’t need much and doesn’t want much. When Valerie divorced and moved back here, you allowed her to grieve her marriage.”

That’s not exactly true. I was busy trying to get the girls settled and get them everything they needed. Once I had my granddaughters set, I turned my attention to getting Valerie a new husband and it seemed that once I was ready to get started, so was she.

Frank looks at me, shame clearly written on his face. “I’m sorry, Helen. I was too shocked by Ramsay’s words to say anything to defend my family. I never thought the boy had it in him to say anything like that to us.”

I accept Frank’s apology by turning over and going to sleep without kicking his shins.

---

The usual thank you notes arrive two days later. One from Hector thanking me for dinner (clearly written by someone else and signed by Hector) and one from Ramsay. I was tempted not to open it but I finally did.

Mrs. Plum,

Please accept both my thanks for Friday’s delicious meal and my apologies for the hurt and upset I must have caused your family. In defending your granddaughters, I ended up inadvertently insulting their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Regardless of my personal thoughts or feelings, those sentiments should have remained my own. I should not have insulted your table after you were so kind as to invite me to sit at it.

Again, please accept my apologies with the knowledge that this is part of the reason RangeMen rarely talk: we say far more than we intend to when we do.

Sincerely,

Ramsay Sinclair

I stared at the note before finally smiling. It’s a very pretty note. It’s doesn’t apologize for a single word that he said, just that he said it during dinner. I laugh and Frank walks into the kitchen and takes the note from me. I watch him read it twice before looking at me.

“Slick.”

I nod. “Very.”

“He didn’t apologize for what he said.”

“Just that he said it at dinner.”

Frank chuckles. “And you wonder why I like those boys. They’re smart and scary.”

I pull my whisky from the cabinet and pour a tumbler.

I’ll think about cutting back tomorrow.