deep, made bad investments, lost everything.â
There was a brief silence. Then Arbutus said, in a voice that was firm and also a little angry, âMaybe so. And maybe Iâd like to help him if thatâs the case.â
âHelp him! When has he helped you?â
âThatâs not fair. He moved Us into his place when I got so bad, then brought Us back when we asked.â
âI had to hound him, Butte. I practically had to threaten him.â
âThatâs not true! He didnât think it was a good idea, Us coming back Up here, even with help. And he still did it in the end, didnât he?â
Gladys made a strangled noise. âYou spoiled that boy, Arbutus. I hate to criticize, but itâs a fact. Itâs the only thing you ever did wrong in your life, I think.â
âExcept for marry his father.â The annoyance had left Arbutusâs voice. She sounded rueful but not overly concerned about such a grave error.
âWell,â Gladys said. âThatâs hardly the point. The point is, weâre not selling.â
âWhat do you think of putting my house on the market, then? You know, Matildaâs son got close to a hundred thousand for her place, and itâs not that much bigger than mine.â
âIt was the view , Butte, the location. The water, the water, thatâs all anyone can think about. You donât have that. Besides, you need your house, you love it. Youâll get back there someday. This summer even. Youâre doing better.â
âI need to pay my way is what I need.â
âWeâll get by,â Gladys said again.
Arbutus didnât answer and they both must have left the room because Madeline didnât hear any more conversation. She emptied the box of bone meal and went inside to see if Gladys had any more tucked away.
The house was quiet, the kitchen deserted. A stack of mail sat on the table. All bills. The groceries Gladys returned had come to $75.13, but Madeline was shocked to see that she owed the Bensons over five hundred. She slowly fingered through the rest. There were past due notices for everything. Fuel oil, electricity, the phone. In each envelope a pink slip was enclosed, threatening a shutoff. Even the gas station wanted fifty dollars, but the really impressive things were the bills from the hospital and rehab center where Arbutus had gone after her last fall, before Nathan took them to Chicago.
She owed over sixty thousand dollars. Medicare must not have paid for everything, and Madeline wondered why she wasnât covered by Medicaid. Maybe because of whatever theyâd referred to selling. Madeline saw that Gladys had been paying everyone a littleâten dollars here, twenty there. She looked again at the grocery bill. How it had gotten so high without them cutting Gladys off like they had Mary and Emil and Randi?
âWhat are you doing?â Gladys demanded, appearing from the parlor.
âIâmânothing.â Gladys snatched the bills from Madelineâs hand and Madeline met her gaze Uneasily. âThe bone mealâs gone. There wasnât enough to finish.â
âWell, go get more, it doesnât take a rocket scientist.â
âAll right. Where do I go?â
Gladysâs expression was withering. âTo the hardware, where else?â She was clearly furious. âLooking at a personâs mail. I should have known better than to leave it lying around.â
âIâm sorryââ
âSorry doesnât do any good. Just go get the fertilizer. Iâll get you the money.â Gladys stalked to her desk in the hall and took her wallet from her purse. She turned her back, but Madeline knew how carefully she must be counting money that really did not exist. She came back with a worn five-dollar bill and Madeline took it from her, not wanting to but knowing Gladys would insist.
âTake your car. Thereâs something I want you to