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"Something about money. What did you say?"
"I said you won't miss the pocket change."
"You said more than that."
"I left out the expletives."
"Why were you using expletives?"
"Would you rather I'd've repeated them to you?"
"Why were you using expletives in regard to my money?"
He recognized her tone. She wasn't going to let the matter drop, which was fine with him, because her financial status had been eating at him, and he'd just as soon air his grievances.
"You wouldn't know a financial problem if it bit you in the butt, because you've never had one." Seeing her angry expression, he added snidely, "Well, have you?"
"I've been fortunate."
"I'll say. Fortunate enough to marry the rich, successful boss." Because he was feeling particularly fractious, he'd pushed, and he knew immediately he'd pushed too far.
Coldly she said, "Don't you dare criticize me for marrying Jim."
"I didn't."
"Not in so many words, but it was implied."
"You're hearing implications that aren't there because you're supersensitive on the subject of your marriage."
"I have no reason to be supersensitive on the subject."
"No?"
"No. I had a good marriage that lasted for twenty-six years. Up till the day Jim died, we were happy together."
"Congratulations."
His sarcasm didn't escape her. "You wish I'd been unhappy?"
Raising his voice, he said, "I wish you'd been happy with me."
"Whose
fault is it that I wasn't?" she fired back.
He swore. Neither said anything for a while, then he asked, "How'd Malone die?"
She took so long to answer, he thought she might refuse to. Finally she said, "He had a stroke. Sitting at his desk in his office. It left him in a coma. He died two days later without ever waking up, which was actually a blessing. The neurologist told me that Jim had sustained extensive brain damage."
Dodge drove in ponderous silence. Then, "So you loved the guy."
"Yes, Dodge, I did. Mostly I loved him for loving me and Berry. She was almost a year old when Jim asked me to marry him. He'd been a confirmed bachelor for forty years but was willing to take on a wife and baby."
"He wanted you. You had a baby." Dodge gave an eloquent shrug.
"He didn't view Berry as a sacrifice he had to make in order to marry me. He accepted her without explanation or qualification. He loved her dearly and reared her as his own. Which was good, since he and I never had any children together."
"Why not?"
