A Knife to Remember

drugstores—along with his widowed mother and his brother Ted. In the early years of Jane and Steve’s marriage, the business had hit a rough financial spot at about the same time as Jane received a tidy little inheritance from a great-aunt. She had put her money into the pharmacy. Because of her investment at a crucial time and her role as a partner’s widow, Jane received a third share of the chain’s monthly profits and always would.
    Jane was entitled to the money, but Thelma always presented the check in person, and always managed to make it seem like charity on her part instead of Jane’s due. And when possible, like today, she made the “gift“ in view of witnesses.
    Jane folded the check, ostentatiously not looking at the amount, and put it in her jeans pocket. “Thanks, Thelma,“ she said through nearly gritted teeth.
    “Why do you let her do that?“ Shelley asked when Thelma had finally gone.
    “Because I’m a wimp!“ Jane said. “I keep trying to see it from her viewpoint. Steve’s been dead for almost two years now and is going to keep on being dead, if you know what I mean. He’s not working for the pharmacies anymore and never will again. She probably resents having to give me a third, just as if he were still contributing to making the profits.”
    Jane let her big shambling dog Willard out of the basement, where he’d been hiding from Thelma, and the women went back to the living room and dragged a pair of armchairs nearer the window to watch what was going on outside. The big truck they’d watched pull in was now unloading its cargo. A huge sturdy yellow tent was being set up in Jane’s yard and a similar tent in light green was going up in Shelley’s yard. Another enormous flatbed truck had pulled into the field and big flat building components were being unloaded. Sham buildings were springing up before their very eyes and workers swarmed everywhere.
    “I take it you haven’t yet told Thelma about your trip with Mel this weekend,“ Shelley said, without looking away from the astonishing sight.
    “God, no! I know I’m going to have to, but I just can’t face it. I thought maybe Thursday.“
    “Uh-huh. You figure she won’t have time to call out the National Guard to throw up a cordon around your house before Friday morning?“
    “Something like that.“
    “So, when you do tell her, what are you going to say?”
    Jane cleared her throat and gave it a practice run. “ ‘Thelma, you remember Detective Van Dyne, don’t you? Well, I wanted to let you know he and I are going to New York for the weekend. I’m leaving Mike in charge of Katie and Todd and he’ll have a number where I can be reached if there’s any emergency. Good-bye.’ Then I hang up real fast before she can say anything.“
    “And she’ll call you back a millisecond later to read you the riot act.“
    “I’m ready for it. I’ll just explain that I’m nearly forty years old, a competent adult widow, entitled to make these decisions myself. My oldest son is a senior in high school, a responsible boy who will look after his brother and sister. And then when she calls me a slut, I’ll hang up on her again.”
    Shelley nodded. “Sounds good to me. You think she really is going to hit the roof?“
    “Oh, I’m sure of it. I think she’s always resented the fact that I didn’t throw myself into Steve’s grave. The idea that I might have a sex life will make her head spin.“ Jane paused. “Actually, it makes my head spin. Want a cookie? I made some to leave with the kids.“
    “Sure... they’re not those tooth-breakers again, are they?“
    “Shelley, you know that was just a mistake I made by not following the recipe closely enough.”
    Jane returned a minute later with some sugar cookies tinted pink and cut in the shape of hearts. Willard was so hard on her heels that he was nearly treading on her shoes.
    “Too cute,“ Shelley said, taking a cookie and holding it well out of Willard’s range. Willard sat down by Jane and looked at her adoringly.
    “Have you told the kids your plans yet?“ Shelley asked.
    “Only Mike. He took it very well. I knew he would. Shelley, I don’t know what I’ll do without him when he goes to college next year. I think Todd will be okay about it, too. It probably won’t occur to him that this is anything more than an adult sleepover. But Katie—”
    Shelley was still gazing out the window as Jane spoke. She interrupted Jane’s tale of maternal woe. “I