Free The Lady and Her Doctor by Evelyn Piper Page B

and he can sleep in the waiting room—only he’s so sloppy with his things—Well, what I’m trying to say is we’ll make out, Milt, if that’s what you want.”
    â€œAlready putting Dr. and Mrs. Krop where you think we should go, huh?” He walked out into the hall and gestured for her to follow him. “Nobody’s asking you where we should go. Come on, sit down. You’re going to get the shock of your life, Jenny.” He marched into the consultation room and sat behind his desk, motioning Jenny to take the patient’s seat. He picked up the letter opener that said Merck and Company on it and tapped his palm with it, like a big businessman. “All set? Hold tight. We’re not going to move in here.”
    â€œYou’re going there? To the Haunted House?”
    â€œFor the time being,” he said, “for the time being!”
    â€œBut what about when they take it away? The bank? Whoever owns it?”
    â€œNobody’s taking it away. I’m giving you all this, Jenny.” He waved with the letter opener at the desk, the chair she was sitting on, the secondhand examining table he and Jenny had enameled, the old-fashioned glass instrument case, the third-hand diathermy, the fluoroscope he had just finished paying out for on time. “It’s all yours. You can save this stuff for Bud, but if you’ll take my advice, you’ll get rid of it. Now this is what I’m going to do.” He paused to savor that. He could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he had been able to say, “This is what I’m going to do.” “I’m going to turn over what I have in the bank to you. Every penny, because you’ll need it. The insurance—well, being in your name, when the time comes, you get it. If you can get anything for my lousy practice, you’re welcome to it, although I doubt that. In other words, Jenny, everything I have is yours—except me.”
    â€œYou haven’t got good sense, Milt.” She leaned forward earnestly. “How will you live? What will you do? What is this, a marriage or a suicide pact?” She banged her hands down on her strong thighs. “If you ask me—which you’re not—that’s what I’d nominate your Sloane for—the girl I’d choose to commit suicide with! No, seriously, Milt, how will you live?”
    He savored that. “How will I live? How will I live? I’ll tell you, Jenny: I’ll live. At least I’ll begin to live before I stop.” He pointed at Jenny with the letter opener. “You call this living? I don’t call this living. But now—Jenny, Sloane is a rich girl, an heiress. They are offering $110,000 for the house, Jenny, and that’s just the beginning. She’s loaded, get that through your head!”
    Jenny put her hand to her head as if his command were an impossibility. “But I saw her,” she said flatly. “What are you giving me, Milt? Rich? I saw the Haunted House. Rich! Loaded!”
    â€œHer mother was one of those misers, Jenny. You read about them in the papers all the time—like those brothers, you know. Poor kid!”
    â€œPoor kid—she’s kidding you, Milt, she saw you coming! She’s taking you for a ride and you’re falling for it!” She leaned forward, staring into his face. “No?” He shook his head and something about him made her believe it. “She’s an heiress ? She’s rolling in it?” They sat there like that, staring at each other, Jenny blinking, Milton smiling. When Bud shouted for Jenny, they both jumped. Neither of them had heard the door opening.
    Bud, having come home from school, wanted something to eat. (He wanted something to eat every day right after school. He said they starved them in that lunchroom.) Jenny hauled herself out of the chair, completely exhausted. “O.K., Bud, I’m coming.” She