"Let me go, lust for a minute." "You're going to stare that baby into a coma." "Stop exaggerating." "It's not good to keep checking and imagining terrible things." " l know, I know." " Here it starts." "Here we go." "Rudyard..." "Rudyard, she's not breathing." "Honey, she's sleeping." "The baby's sleeping." "No..." " Rudyard, it's crib death." " It's sleep!" " She's asleep, honey." " Maybe." "Come on!" "Emma." "Oh, good." "That's better." "No, thank you." "Thanks." "Emma?" "He was one of the most dependable men that ever worked for me." " l know." "Thank you." " He was a good man." "I'm real sory about your daddy." "Take care of your momma." "Emma?" "Emma, wake up, please." " Wake up." " What's wrong?" "I was tense and I was wondering how you were feeling." " Would you like to sleep in my bed?" " No, thank you." "Would you like to sleep in my bed again?" "Yes!" "What are we going to do with this hair?" "Hey, Emma!" "Patsy, hury up!" "You're going to miss him." "Oh, that's what they were looking at!" " Good night, honey." " Where's Momma?" "That old fart's tying to get in her pants." " What if the astronaut shows up?" " Oh, they're eveywhere in Houston!" " Say hi to Race." " OK." "Love ya." "Astronauts!" "So?" " We better get going." " l'll say goodbye." "Want to go with?" "No. I don't think I'm up to it today." "Sure would be nice to have a mother somebody liked." "Why don't you accept the fact that you have certain biological needs?" " Because I don't." " Mom!" "I'm going now." "Excuse me." "Can you believe it?" "He wants to take me to Tahiti." "I don't know why you treat these men like this." "They have feelings too." " Has the astronaut moved in yet?" " Who?" "Patsy teaching you coy lessons?" "Breedlove." "Has he moved in?" " Put your socks up!" " Say goodbye to Patsy." " Be home by eleven." " Say goodbye to Patsy." " Goodbye, Patsy!" " Thank you." "In this day and age, anything goes!" "I feel really foolish getting stoned to hear May Martin." "See, Patsy..." "This is not May Martin, this is Ethel Merman." "This is the last time we're gonna be like this." "I lust plain refuse to get into that kind of thinking." "It should not stop." "I mean, we're gonna be best friends." "Our babies will be best friends." "We'll all be best friends." "Oh, God!" " Just a minute." " Open the door." "Emma, open the door." "Just a minute." " l need to talk to you!" " All right." "I'm getting married." "What the hell?" " Meet me in my room?" " Yes." " What do you think she wants?" " Maybe to tell you how to have sex." "What?" "!" "No." "She only knows how to avoid it." "I can't believe you said that." "I didn't mean it." "I didn't mean it, I swear." "What have you been doing, Emma?" "Nothing." "What is it, Momma?" "I really want to get some sleep so I look halfway decent for tomorrow." "Come on." "What is it?" "Would you want me to be silent about something for your own good?" "Yes, ma'am, I would!" "OK, come on." "Come on." "I've been in here all night." "I've been tying to decide what..." "what wedding gift to get you." "I thought of that Renoir that my mother gave me." "But I couldn't reach a conclusion." "Then I came to grips with the reason why I couldn't think of a gift." "Oh, Momma, it's all right." "I need dishes, a rotisserie..." "The car...the house... I'm totally convinced if you mary Flap Horton tomorrow, it will be a mistake of such gigantic proportions, it will ruin your life and make wretched your destiny." "Why are you doing this to me?" "You are not special enough to overcome a bad marriage." "Use your brains." "Flap is limited." "He hasn't got any imagination." "Even at this age, all he wants is a secure teaching job." "Mother... I'm marying Flap Horton tomorrow." "I thank God Flap's getting me out of here." "If this is your attitude, don't come to my wedding." "That's right." "No, I think you're right." "The hypocrisy was bothering me, too." "My own mother's not coming to my wedding." "Listen to her." "She's going crazy." "I'll give her until noon tomorrow." "Emma, your mother boycotted your wedding, she hates your husband and only holds you in medium esteem." "Medium esteem." "That is so cute." "That is so cute." "Wouldn't it have been strange to mary a person who didn't read?" "There's millions of interesting people who never pick up a book." "Flap, I feel so totally good about us. I hope I get pregnant tonight." "That would be nice." "I love the way you look." "You're so nice." "I..." "You're my sweet-assed gal." "Here comes the bride!" "Wait, Flap." "Where did you learn how to do that?" "That is the strangest music to make love to." "I know." "Leave me alone. I'm happy." "I don't want to talk to you." "No." "Did you see the tablecloth Rosie gave me?" "It's beautiful." "It's got red flowers on it." "She made it." "No, not yet." "Home-made omelettes." "Just ordered 'em." "Kinda Tex-Mex." "No." "That was the worst thing you've ever done to me, Mother!" "Well, I think you owe my husband an apology." "Until you apologise, I'm not listening to your gossip." "No." "Well, he's right here." "Hold on." "Yes." "Yes." "Hello, Mrs Greenway." "No, ma'am, I am not enjoying your predicament." "Momma, be nice!" "As a matter of fact, I don't need or desire an apology." "All I want is for you to understand and appreciate my position, to respect our marriage, and to wait another 15 minutes before you call in the morning." "Yes, I guess I've said my piece." "OK, I'll put her on." "He's so great!" "I'll talk to you later." "I don't care about the neighbourhood." "Can't you stay a little while longer?" "I thought we were having a real good time, didn't you?" "Listen, don't go yet." "One more minute." "I've got something to show you." "No, really." " Thanks." " Good night." " l bought you something." " What?" "A tie." "You didn't buy this for me." "You were worried about how I'd look to your mother." "Stop being a quisling where she is concerned." "Whenever I get happy, you turn perverse." " Buying this tie made you happy?" "!" " Yes!" "Yes!" "I wish you could understand, cos you really don't." "It made me vey happy, buying this tie." "I went to two or three places." "Then describing your iacket, knowing it would match what you're wearing, which, by the way, it certainly does." "I mean, it was fun!" "It was a goddamn mardi gras and you're too dumb to understand that!" "I'm sory. I'm being terrible." "Going to your mother's, it makes me a little irrational." "Can I help?" "Yes." "Thank you, Flap." "Take this candle. I need another one." " In the kitchen?" " Yes." "That looks great." "Who's that short gentleman?" "Not that it's any of your business..." "Just leave it at that." "What are you looking at?" "She isn't there any more." "She'll be back." "I'm Edward Johnson, Aurora's friend." "Pleased to meet you." "Vernon Dahlart." "God, isn't she something?" "Here she comes." "I met her two weeks ago at church." "You might say she's God's gift to Vernon Dahlart." "Then you like her?" "Oh, no." "Does it show?" "Good food." "Well, this is what I used to serve when I lived in Boston." "Vernon, you haven't said a word." "is that right?" "I feel like I haven't stopped talking." "I guess because I've been thinking about you so much." "Can I suggest how to handle me?" "Yes, ma'am." "Don't worship me until I've earned it." "Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate any advice you can give me." "Don't talk with your mouth full, Vernon." "I wouldn't do that." "I lust did it to make you laugh." "What's wrong with you?" "I got some good news." "What's that?" "I'm unofficially pregnant." "We haven't gotten the tests back yet, but you know me, I'm never late." "Well... I don't understand." "If you're not happy for me, I'll get so mad if you're not happy." "Why should I be happy about being a grandmother?" "Does this mean you won't be knitting any booties?" "Flap..." "Evey time you get more than two drinks in you, you confront me." "And I won't have it." "I won't have it, not in this house." "Excuse me." "Do you need some help?" "No. I'll be fine just as soon as I stretch my legs." "Oh, God." "Mr Breedlove." "You're bleeding." "Yeah." "It's OK." "Come on in." "No, thank you." "What are you afraid of?" "Afraid?" "Well..." "Why not...?" "Why not come on in?" "Because you're much older than the boys I date, cos you're drunk, and because when I went to see an astronaut give a lecture, I didn't expect him to prowl after us all night." "I didn't expect some silly flirt who had to keep his jacket open because his belly's getting too big." "I expected a hero." "Well, OK, Doris, don't come in." "I don't want you in my house." "Lee Anne, would you like to come in?" "You better tend to that cut." "Tommy, show me your belly." "Come on." "Come on!" " How can you dress him like that?" " He's adorable." "Look at him." "Oh, great, Tommy." "That's Vernon." "So tell him I'm..." " Out?" " No." "Tell him I'm resting." "Hello?" "Hi, Flap." "Where?" "No." "Tell me now." "I want to know now." "Oh, Flap, you did not expect I'd be happy." "Let's be honest with each other before we start pretending." "Look, Mom's staring at me right now, so can I talk about it later to you?" "Yeah." "All right." "Bye." "How long you going to keep this a secret?" "The only school that would accept his associate professorship is in Des Moines." "He can't even do the simple things, like fail locally." "It's gonna be all right, Momma." "It's Des Moines." " Say, "Bye-bye, house"." " Bye-bye, house." "Be careful going down these steps." "Don't break your leg." "Come here." "Come here." "Come here." "Stay sweet, honey." "Rosie..." "That's enough, Rosie." "They have to get started." "Tell Momma to drive you home when you work late." "Have some fun, Rosie." "Don't act so brave. I know you'll go crazy without me to nag." "Be good to her or else we'll get you." "I mean it." "Bye, Flap." "Have a good drive." "OK, fingers and toes in." "Take Momma's purse." "Momma, that's the first time I stopped hugging first." "I like that." "Get yourself a decent maternity dress." "You had to get one in, didn't you?" "Will you tell her, Patsy?" "She keeps thinking it's me." "Tom..." "Are you gonna be good to your mother and take care of her?" "Bye, Mrs Greenway." "Goodbye." "Write as soon as you get there, so I'll have your address, OK?" "You shape up, Patsy." "Dropped my gum." "We'll get you another piece, sweetheart." "The phone bill will be enormous, you know that?" "I'll miss you, Momma." " Can we go now?" " Yeah." "Pull away slow." "Honey, I think it will be good for us to be away from your..." "Our families." " l miss Houston." " You don't know how lucky you are." "Eveybody wants to go to Des Moines." "People come from all over the world to get one look at Des Moines before they die." "Some people say it's the best city in Iowa." "I know you're teasing me." "Texas is the best!" "Well, I think you should stop worying." "We're gonna see some terrific new things." "We are." "Would you please, if you will, hold it down over there?" "Sory, I can't hear you." "Hold it down!" "Have some respect for other people's feelings!" "Come over a little closer." "Hey, you in the bush, I can't hear you!" "Sory, but I lust took a sauna." "It's hard not to yell when you hit that cold water." "You're not gonna ignore me when I speak directly to you?" "I'm not ignoring you." "What am I supposed to say?" "OK, It's hard not to yell when you hit that cold water." "Hey, come here." "Come here?" "What is your name?" " Aurora?" " Yes." "You want a shock?" "No, not especially." "What?" "Well..." "We're going to have this dinner at... a NASA dinner at the White House." "You know, some cosmonauts and all of us, and... I didn't know who I could take." "Cos all the people I flew with, well, their wives are giving me bitch bites all over my back if I showed up with my regular girls." "I didn't know anybody old enough, so I thought," ""Well, I'll ask my next-door neighbour."" "Well, anyway, they cancelled the dinner, but I was really thinking about asking you out." "Seriously." "Ain't that a shocker?" "Yes." "Imagine you having a date with someone where it wasn't a felony." "What would you have said if I'd asked you?" "Seriously." "I would have said I'd like to see the White House." "So you would have come?" "What the hell." "You want to have dinner out some time?" " No, thank you." " What about lunch?" "You ladies, you like to have lunch a lot, don't you?" "You know, there's something about your manner." "It's like you're tying to toy with me." "That's right, Aurora." "I'm playing with you." " This is exactly..." " Do you want to play, Aurora?" "You wanna go to lunch, we'll have lunch." "If you want to have lunch in some restaurant to improve the atmosphere in this neighbourhood, I wouldn't say no." "Come here." "We're too far apart to talk." "Now..." "Aurora." "Since you've agreed, why don't we lust forget about the rest?" "I mean, I know how you feel." "There were countdowns... when I had my doubts." "I said to myself, "You agreed to do it." ""You're strapped in..." ""and you're in the hands" ""of something bigger and more powe_ul than yourself." ""So why not lust lay back and enjoy the ride?"" "I'm not going." "There is something wrong with you." "Oh, God, I'm such a shit." " Wait!" "That must be it." " Right there?" "Oh, God!" "Oh, Flap, it's great." "Is that it, really?" " l think that's it." " Oh, it's great." "Isn't that sweet?" " Oh, that was a bump." " Oh, yeah." " What is that?" " Shall we go see the house?" "You stay here." "I'll come round and get you." "Come on." "Let's get this off." "Come on." "Come on." " Sweetheart, did you hurt yourself?" " Nope, not yet." "Do you like it?" "Do you like it?" "Oh, it's great." "Flap, it's great!" "Oh, my God." "Leave the mattress here." "We can sleep here." "I'm really tired." "You ever made love in Iowa?" "You know what?" "Tommy's room is on the other side of the hall so we can get noisy." "Good." "You get to make your little high-pitched squeak." "Stop it!" "What about you?" "What about you?" ""Here I come." "Here I come again!" ""Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!"" "Here I come again." "Yes." "Yes." " Yes." " Oh, God." "You lust made me wet." "How can you do that with your voice, just like that?" "You lust make your voice like that." "Oh, God, if Tommy can't hear us, we can't hear Tommy!" " He's fine, mother!" " Don't get pissy, I'll be back!" "I have papers to grade." "This isn't love, it's selfishness." "It's been a week since we've been together." "We've never gone a whole week, Flap." " Sure, we've gone a week." " Only in the real pregnant months." "You're always getting home so late, Flap." "Oh, forget it." "Forget it!" "Do me a favour." "Don't make me feel silly, I won't make you feel guilty." "Fair enough. I have to hury." "Be a good boy." "Emma?" "I love that you came back." "You're saving our lives by doing this." "I love that you came back, Flap, I love it!" "Tommy, breakfast will be in a minute." "Let's hury." "I've got to grade those papers." "I'll give eveybody a B!" "Come on!" "Wait!" "Come on, come on!" "Hello?" "Hi, Mother." "Could we talk later?" "I've got to get the boys off and it's not a good time to be on the phone." "Don't be so inconsiderate." "I'm all set to have a good talk." "You've got almost an hour to get the boys off." "What's wrong?" " Nothing." " Stop here." "Tell me what it is." "OK, Mother. I need some money." "I need you to loan me some money." "I really need it, so will you?" "Oh, Mother, please don't be quiet." "You know that was hard for me to ask." "You can say no, but please don't be quiet." "Oh, I'm sory, sweetheart." "I was just thinking." "Thinking what?" "How much I hate to part with money." "I wouldn't have asked if..." "Don't yell, but I really think that I may be pregnant again." "Oh!" "No!" "Oh, no!" "And you're going to have it, I suppose?" "Yes, of course." "What's happening to you, anyway?" "Don't act like that's so terrible." "Bright young women are having simple abortions." ""Simple"?" "Then they get wonde_ul iobs." "You can have it in Colorado." "I don't know why I tell you anything." "I seem to like you less." "You know why?" "I am the only person who tells you the truth." "Go get dressed." "How will your life get better if you keep having children with that man?" "What miracle is going to come along to rescue you?" "Leave me alone. I need the money." "Give me the painting to sell." "No!" "That's your security." "I will not have you using that for rent!" "Let's not do this." "All right?" "All right?" "I'll talk to you later." "All right?" "All right." "If it would mean that..." "No, don't give me the money." "It'd make you crazy." "Yes, it would." "We'll talk later." "You call me tonight, if you want, all right?" "Goodbye." "Daddy lust got home." "Hey, no kidding?" "Is it tough being a genius?" "Boy!" "Great news. I know what my topic is." "I have it all figured out." "What's wrong?" "Where have you been all night, Flap?" "I'm sory. I fell asleep on that big sofa at the libray again." "I don't know what's wrong with me." "I'm on to you." "I'm not doing anything." "Oh, yes, you are." "We go through this stage evey time..." "Don't change the subiect." "What's the subiect?" "That I'm on to you." "You wouldn't ty to look so innocent unless you were guilty." "You'll have to take my word for it." "You have no other choice." "Excuse me." "Emma, you...always get a little paranoid in your first few months, OK?" "Just... lf you are doing something and you're tying to make me feel crazy because I'm pregnant, then you may have sunk so low that you'll never recover." "You may have lust panicked, Flap, and tying to save yourself, you've thrown out your character and principles." "The only way to redeem yourself, and be the man God intended you to be, is to admit anything you might have been doing last night." "Cos if you don't do that, if you don't do that right now, you are a lost man." "A shell, a bag of shit dust." "You've got to tell me." "For us, honey." "Come on." "Hello?" "Hello, Aurora." "How are you?" "Yes, she is." "She's right here." "Nice to hear your voice again." "Why don't you get a lob if you're worried about money?" "What about the baby?" "It's a great day when you get tenure!" "All tenure means is we won't have enough money forever!" "Why don't you ask your mother?" " That's convenient for you!" " Go ahead!" "Call her!" "Why should today be any different?" "Get on the phone, Emma!" "Get on the phone!" " Why don't you call?" " Yeah, I'll call Aurora, right(!" ")" "Get on the phone!" "Get on the phone!" "Get on the phone, Emma!" "Get on the phone!" "Get on the damn phone!" " Mommy said to wait right here." " Stay if you want." "What are you guys doing here?" "I told you to wait in front of the house." "Answer me, Tommy." "I didn't want people to think we lived there." "What?" "I didn't want people to think we lived there." "Cut it out." "OK." "You're allowed to say one mean thing to me a year." "That'll do till you're ten." "You're driving Daddy away." "OK, Tommy." "Stand up and follow me." "Don't make me hit you on the street." "Hury up." "I said hury." "Come on!" "Forty-four dollars." "Twenty, thirty..." "Let's see." "That's $3$.40..." "You don't have enough money?" "I don't have any cheques. I guess I'll have to put some things back." "Can I have the register key?" "She doesn't have enough money!" "It's no big thing." "I brought the wrong purse." "Here, take this." "43.75." "41 .35." " You said I could have something!" " l won't give her real food." " Give her this." " No way!" " 40.35." " Mom!" "All right." "Here." "40.55." "40.75." "We're going in the wrong direction." "Why do you have to be so damn nasty?" "It's not going to help anything." "We're both people, you know?" "40.75." "I don't need it." "Mrs Horton, I'm Sam Burns from the bank." "I turned you down on the second on your house." "Oh, of course." "I remember who you are." "Can I help you make up the difference?" "Thanks. I'd appreciate it." "I'll pay you back tomorrow." "You're a vey rude young woman." "I know Douglas and I doubt he'd want you treating customers so badly." "I don't think I was treating her badly." "Then you must be from New York." " Be careful, Teddy!" " What?" "Be careful!" " Where's your car?" " Right here." "That was worst time ever. I didn't know I could get cheered up so fast." " No problem." " Come on, Mom." " Wait by the car." " Come on!" " Wait there." " No!" " Wait by the car, honey." " But..." "Wait over by the car, honey!" "Over by the car!" "Now!" "Now!" "Now!" "Nice boys." "You're great with them, too." "Really." "I think all three of us are going through a stage." " Hey, thanks again." " Oh, no thanks required." "I've had a lovely time." "Me, too." "I'll get the money back to you." "Oh, don't bother yourself." "Just drop it in the mail." " To the bank?" " Sure." "You could even use a cheque-by-mail envelope." "Or...you could come in." "Whichever." "Maybe I'll come in some time." "Well, that'd be fine." " Hey, can I help you with that?" " No, thanks. I'm used to this." ""And so, another birthday for a gal named Aurora Greenway" ""Even though 50, she still takes my breath away" ""Mere mortals lust gaze as she lights up their sky" ""A heavenly obiect, a siren's cy"" "You're the best." "Happy birthday." "Thank you, Edward." "Thank you." "Do you want one, Vernon?" "Would you like a kiss?" "You're not lying about your age, are you?" "Of course not." "I thought you were 52." "She's really 52." "Come on, how do you expect to fool a family doctor?" " It seems to me she said her age." " Thank you." "The number doesn't matter, but the effort to conceal it does." " Why does he keep talking?" " Dr Ratcher... I'm tying to do some good here!" " The way to adiust to old age..." " Doctor... I think you're confused, being recently widowed and all." "You OK?" "Let's give her some privacy." "Yeah?" "The door's open." "Just a minute." "Well, hello." "Hi." "I was curious if you still wanted to take me to lunch." "I wasn't aware that we..." "A few years back, you invited me to lunch." "A few years back?" "I wondered if the invitation still exists." "Would you like to?" "Do lunch." " Not dinner, remember." "It was lunch." " Why not?" "No." "Good." "When?" "Tomorrow?" "Tomorrow?" "All right." "All right." "Good." "Twelve thirty?" "Twelve." "Good." "Thank you." "Thanks." "If you mind the open air, I could get the top." "No." "Don't wory." "Grown women are prepared for life's little emergencies." "Us going out together..." "Not bad, huh?" "Do you think...?" "Do you think you could possibly put the top up?" "The top's at home in the garage." "Hello, there." "How are you?" "How are you, Ali?" "It's nice to see you." "Fred, that we met at that bar." "He asked me out." " Oh, God." " We went to the Cadillac Bar." "It's a fun place if you're with the right people, but I wasn't." "Well..." "I'm starving!" "No hidden meaning in that remark." "Well..." "Would you like an oyster?" "No." " Thank you." " It's good." "I think that is extremely rude, noticing other women when you're with me." "I... think we're going to have to get drunk." "I don't get drunk, and I don't care for escorts who do." "You got me into this." "You're lust gonna have to trust me about this one thing." "You need a lot of drinks." "To break the ice?" "To kill the bug that you have up your ass." "May I get you something?" "Yes, I think I will have some bourbon, preferably Wild Turkey." "Yes?" "You're not fun, by any chance, are you?" "I don't really think we should think about that right now." "Impatient boys sometimes miss dessert." "We both got here at the same time!" "Hi, Sam." "How are you?" "It's nice to see you." "It's always so nice to see you." "I can hardly believe it." "You, too." "What I didn't expect was there to be moments where l'd forget to be scared someone would see us together." "Sam, you don't have to be scared." "I mean, contemplating sin is all we've done, it's OK." "Oh. I'm glad that you've been contemplating it, too." "I didn't know that." "Well, all these lunches, all this hand holding?" "I'm not going back to the bank this afternoon." "I have to go out and inspect a new house." "It's pretty far out, and, well...it's empty." " l gotta pick up my kids at five." " Oh, OK." "Well, I understand." "Look, don't give it a thought." "Emma, I haven't made love to a woman... in almost three years." "How come?" "My wife has a disc problem." "And she can't take having... any weight on her." "Sam, I hope you don't mind me asking you this, but... have you ever thought of your wife getting on top?" "Oh, she wouldn't do that." "She may surprise you." "No, I don't think so." "It would be so unlike her." " Did you ask?" " About 600 times." "What are you thinking?" "Tell me, do you prefer Texas to Iowa?" " What were you really thinking?" " Really, that's what I was thinking." "I don't know, there seems to be an absence of wildness, you know?" "Even in the people!" "Well, we're farmers and we talk poor, because the farmer aspect is" ""don't let anybody know you have anything"" "and "don't call attention to yourself"." "My wife says..." "Well, I guess we shouldn't talk about Dottie." "Wind in the hair!" "Lead in the pencil!" "Feet controlling the universe!" "Breedlove at the helm!" "Just keep pumping that throttle!" "Keep giving it that gas!" "I see the Gulf of Mexico below me!" "I'm not enioying this!" "Give it a chance." "I am going to stop!" "Fly me to the moon!" "How are you?" "It's not my fault, but I'm sory." "If you wanted to get me on my back, you just had to ask me." "My hand!" "Get it out of there!" " l can't!" "I swear!" " Get it out!" " l swear to God!" " Out!" "We were having such a good time and you had to go do this!" "Please, anything!" "Bend down!" "Bend down!" " Why did you have to get drunk?" " l am not drunk...any more!" "The pain sobered me up." "Emma, this is terrible to ask - are you thinking about your husband?" " l was a little." " We can go back." "No, Sam." "Stop it." "Look, I want to do this." "I'm glad I don't know whether Flap's been with someone else." "I'd hate to think I was doing this just to get even." "Oh, lust..." "Look..." "Great!" "Fine." "Great!" "You're parked in my driveway!" "You're breaking the law!" "Thank you!" "Would you like to come in?" "I'd rather stick needles in my eyes." "Eveything would have been lust fine if you hadn't gotten drunk." "I lust didn't want you to think I was like one of your other girls." "Not much danger in that unless you curtsy on my face real soon." "Garrett!" "What makes you so insistent on shocking and insulting me?" "I mean, I really hate that way of talking." "You must know that." "Why do you do it?" "I'll tell you, Aurora." "I don't know what it is about you, but... you do bring out the devil in me." "Where are you?" "In the laundy room so nobody could hear." "Sam, I can't hear you, either." "Wait a minute." "We're getting a quieter cycle." " OK." " Can you hear me now?" " Yeah." " Good." "Is it bad to call?" "No, I'm in the market for a little sweet talk." " Mom, I have to go!" " Just a minute." " What?" " Really!" "Hury up." " What is it?" " Just how absolutely good I feel." "And even though I'm scared, and we've committed adultey, no matter what happens, I'm lust so grateful to God or the devil for..." "letting me feel this way again." "I'm so glad you told me that." " Don't flush!" " You told me always to!" "Not this time." " Emma, is it OK?" "Can you talk?" " No, it's all right." " Can I hold Melanie?" " Yes." " Honey, is eveything OK?" " What?" " Is eveything OK?" " Eveything's fine." "Oh, yeah." "Eveything's fine." "An emergency call from Mrs Aurora Greenway in Houston for Emma Horton." " Oh, no!" " She does that when the line's busy." " Will you release?" " Of course." "We were just talking." "Talk to you later, Sam." "Bye." "Hi." "How'd it go?" "The astronaut is impossible." "An arrogant, self-centred, and, yes, somewhat entertaining man who has realised his ambition, and is at last a spoiled child." " A match made in heaven." " Yeah, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" "I don't think he wants to have anything more to do with me." " Oh, why?" " l don't wanna go into it." " Cos you wouldn't go to bed?" " On a first date, Emma?" "It's hardly a first date." "You've lived next door for 15 years." " Why not say the real reason?" " What do you mean?" "It's been that long since you've done it." "Shut up!" "I mean it!" "Shut up!" "Oh, it's lust me." " No." " Call him!" " No!" "I'm hanging up." " OK, I'm sory." " l'm hanging up." " Call him now!" "So long." " Hello?" " Hello, Garrett." "Yes?" "Well, I was lust sitting here realising... realising that I had never shown you my Renoir." "What are you talking about?" "I'm inviting you to come over and look at my Renoir." " You're inviting me to bed." " It happens to be in my bedroom." "is the Renoir under the covers?" " Cos you're a spectacle!" " l am not!" "Stop iiggling her, she'll throw up." "Your timing was pe_ect." "You caught us before we did anything." "I'm taking the kids to Houston." "Give me the baby." "You don't know what I did, lust like I don't know what you do on your afternoon drives." "Professor Horton, can we talk about my grade?" "You ought to be happy I'm going." "If I stayed here, I'd make life hell for you." "Don't follow me." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "Excuse me!" "Excuse me!" "It's them." "It's them!" " Garrett, come meet Emma." " No, you don't need outsiders." " You're no outsider!" " l'll see them later." "Em, Em, this is Garrett." "Oh!" "Pleasure to meet you." "I've heard so much about you." "Your mother's been looking forward to this, too." "So, go ahead." " Anything wrong, Garrett?" " No." "It was vey nice to have met you." "Must be nice to be home." "Oh, it's great." "It's great." "I'll be over later." "They're tired, and will get to sleep early, and I'd like to get to bed early." "Grandma, Grandma, Grandma!" "Bye-bye." "Come on out." "All right." "This one likes to squeeze." "Teddy likes to squeeze, Tommy likes a squeeze." "You both get a squeeze." "The baby." "Where's the baby?" "Oh, there is my baby." "Look at the baby!" "I think she looks a little like you." "A little?" "Gee, it's like looking in the mirror." "She loved the ride." "She hardly cried at all." " Bring in the suitcases." " OK." " Mom..." " Well, I talk to you evey day." " Mother, you look great." " You look terrible." "Nobody wants a girl who's washed-out and tired-looking." "I lust drove about 1 ,OOO miles." "Besides, all the men love me the way I am, Mother." "It's like you, when you finally take one small step away from Flap, it's with a married, unavailable, older Iowan, hmm?" "Tell me about the astronaut." "We have to talk about it." "Are you going to sleep now, or are we gonna talk?" "How's the astronaut, Mother?" "Really?" "Oh, really?" "Yes!" "He has a name, though." "You really like him." "Yeah." "Well, it's lust so... lt's so strange that relatively..." "Relatively late in life, I've found that sex is so..." "SO..." "SO..." "SO... ..so fan-fucking-tastic!" "Anyway, that's what he calls it." "A moth to flame." "This affair is going to kill me." "No." "Maybe not." "Why do you say that?" "Come on, Mom." "I never thought I'd start to need him." "You're so lucky you have a pool." "Come on, stand there." "Stand there!" " OK." " OK." "Let's talk about Los Angeles." "Do you miss it?" "It was so interesting dating Jews after the divorce." "They are so lively." " Really?" " Yeah." "In Los Angeles, they were so anxious to show they understood your secret thoughts." " Patsy!" " And I was just glad I had some." "Honey, there's a telephone call for you." "Hello." "Oh, hi, Flap." "How are you?" "I'm fine." " l look older, like eveyone else." " She does not." "Flap, you sound the same and I'm not sure that's such a good thing." "Yeah, she's right here." "No, we have other things to talk about besides you." "Hello?" "I'm fine." "What's up?" "Feeling contrite?" "You don't seem to understand." "I saw you together." "What?" "You know, Flap, I can't believe you're doing this to us." "Well, I think you're spiteful, and I don't know when the hell that happened." "No!" "Goodbye. I'll..." "Goodbye." "Flap accepted the lob at Kearney, Nebraska." "We're moving in a week." "I don't know why you don't leave him." "Honestly, I don't know, either." "He's cute." "I've been packing for us all week." "Sure remembers her daddy." "So, are you gonna stay mad?" "I think being uprooted without my consent is worth a pout, don't you?" "Come on." " Head of the department." " l know." "Here." " Aurora?" " Garrett!" "I'm back here." "Well, hello, stranger." "What's it been, about two days?" "Your family still around?" "No, they left." "What?" "You probably know what I'm going to say." "Oh, maybe not. I hope not." "Well..." "You're some kind of woman, but I'm the wrong kind of man, and it doesn't look like my shot at being the right kind is... as good as I was hoping for." "You don't even know how much you'll miss me." "I don't want to blow smoke up your ass." "Oh!" "What a relief." "It's lust that I'm starting to feel an obligation here." "It makes it rough, especially living next door." "I'm starting to think I gotta watch what I'm doing... I..." "I am gonna miss you... and I do feel bad." "You're lucky." "I feel humiliated." "Can I have a picture of you?" "Yeah, but the only one I have has Flap in it." "I don't mind." "Come here, give me a kiss." "When you finish, I need this kind of type." "Hello, Emma." "Hi, baby." "She wanted her daddy to see her dressed up." "He'll be here any minute." " l'll talk to you later." " OK." "Excuse me." "Miss?" "Miss?" "Don't make me run after you, I have a toddler here!" "Are you the reason that we came to Nebraska?" "I think that Flap should talk to you." "We discussed that." "I don't want to say anything until he does, except that I don't think there's an emotion you're having I couldn't...validate." "Tell you what." "If you see Flap, tell him his wife and his baby went to get their flu shots, all right?" "Why don't you do that?" "Just hold still." "That's a good girl." "OK?" "You're all finished." "It's all over." "If it makes you feel any better, Mommy's getting a shot, too." " Can I give her a pop?" " Sure." " Here." " There you go." "Are they gonna tell me if my husband calls?" "You have a lump in your armpit." " How long has it been there?" " l don't know." "Melanie, stop kicking the cabinet!" "There's two of them." "It's not vey big, though." "I have to be out of town next week but you shouldn't wait." "They should come out." "Come out?" "Should I be scared?" "If you're scared, you'll be happier when it turns out to be nothing." "Dr Butch, Mom should get a pop, too, for her shot." " Right." "Here, Mom." " Thanks, Mel." "Well, I know what it is." "You don't keep yourself up so your sweat glands are clogged." " It's a cyst." " So I shouldn't wory?" "It's a cyst, right where your oil glands are." "You never knew how to eat right and you've never learned how to wash." "You're right." "Thanks." "Talk to Melanie." " Say hi." " Hi." "Hello, how are you?" "I sent you a blouse." " Say goodbye." " Bye." "OK." "Say good..." "Say goodbye to your mother." "What's her name?" "Janice." "What did the doctor say?" "I told you, Flap." "It's scay that he wants to do it so fast." "Janice...with her little folder." ""l can't say anything until he does." "We've discussed it, Flap and I."" "I mean, really, Flap!" ""Validate my feelings." Your taste!" "What the doctor said, feeling good when it turns out..." "No!" "Forget it, I won't make you feel better, I'm too mad." "Dinner!" "Dear, you have a malignancy." " Say it again?" " Malignancy." "Rosie...our girl is in trouble." "She has a cyst that's malignant." "They're taking her to a hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska." "We'll release her in a few days." "We do more and more on an outpatient basis." "We shouldn't need to take her back, unless the illness escalates." "But you're not telling me anything." "What are you confused about?" "How is she?" "I tell people to hope for the best and prepare for the worst." "And they let you get away with that?" "Look, you're wrong to see eveything as so desperate and serious." "And it won't do your daughter any good to get those signals, either." "What's wrong now?" "I'm so frustrated with that doctor." "But it boils down to this." "You're getting out and you don't have to stay here again." "Unless the illness spreads." "I really don't feel sick." "Hey, Emma." "Come to New York for a visit." "My treat." "Great." "We'll have to see." "Look at these letters from the kids." "Teddy says he couldn't sleep, but Melanie slept fine." "Tommy thinks there's nothing to be concerned about..." "Hey, I mean it!" "You have time before you see the doctor." "Come see New York for a few days." "It's not a bad idea, a vacation by yourself." "Rosie and I are here with the kids." " Take advantage of your freedom." " l know you wanna go." "This isn't like taking those kids to Disneyland right before the end?" "Stop!" " Oh, I'm sory." " Patsy, I'm kidding!" "Do you feel funny about leaving the kids?" "I'm not leaving them, I'm entrusting them to their father." "Oh, I thought as long as your mother and Rosie are in town..." "Not them." "You." " Emma, look!" "Look!" "Look!" " Are we there yet?" " Oh, God!" "I can't believe I'm here!" " Isn't it beautiful?" "I want you to meet some of my friends." "Not friends like you and I." " Hi." " Hi." "Emma, this is Lizbeth." " Hi, Elizabeth." " Hi." "It's Lizbeth." " Isn't that what I said?" " You said "Elizabeth"." "It's Lizbeth." " Oh, two names?" "Liz Beth?" " No, one." "Lizbeth." " Lizbeth?" " Never mind." " And this is Jane." " Thank heavens!" "Here, that's Melanie." "Oh!" "Look at that!" "Teddy's the younger one, Tommy's the older one." " The little girl's incredible." " Don't think she doesn't know it." "Oh, Patsy's got a real thing going with her." "The boys, too." "Are you waiting till she's in school before working again?" "Oh, I never really work." "Well." "That's OK." "Thanks." "Great." "When did she find out?" " About a month ago." " There." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "It was a great honour meeting you, have a wonde_ul time." "Thank you." "Those beautiful children are lucky to have you for a mommy." "Y'all go ahead, take the first cab." " Sure?" " Yeah." "That's fine." " Bye-bye, Patsy." " See you." "Bye, darling." " You told them, didn't you?" " Yeah, you don't mind, do you?" "Of course not." "Emma, come on." "They're ierks." "They don't know anything." " Why do they act like that?" " Emma, talk to me!" "It's not you. I don't care." "I don't mind them knowing." "In less than two hours, two of them told me that they'd had abortions." "Three of them told me they were divorced." "One hasn't talked to her mother in four years." "And the one that has little Natalie in a boarding school because she has to travel for her job?" "Hell, Patsy!" "Oh, the one with the yeast disease that thought she had vaginal herpes?" "If that's fit conversation for lunch, what's so god-awful terrible about my little tumours?" "Yeah, of course, but..." "what do you want me to do?" "I want you to tell them it ain't so tragic!" "People do get better." "Tell them it's OK to talk about the cancer!" "Patsy tells us you have cancer." "We should talk later." "I'm a nutritionist, and my husband's with Ticketron." "Thanks, Patsy." " Hello." " Flap?" "Have you heard anything?" "No." "Emma hasn't called you either, then, huh?" "No." "How are the children?" "I wish I were so carefree." "Yes, well, they don't have anything to feel ashamed about." "You know something?" "You always lose your manners around me." "Stop it, Flap." "Let me know if you hear." "If you talk to Emma, don't sound so frightened." "I don't sound...frightened!" "Daddy." "Hi, Mother." "They're having this party for me so I can't talk vey long." "But I think I'm coming home a few days early." "Not really." "It's about time they gave us this room." "Mother, I can't believe you did this." "It's great." "Careful!" "These are worth more than you'll make in your lifetime." "I grew up with it, you can take it for a couple of minutes." "This is fine." "Thank you so much." "Thank you." "Oh, they're wonde_ul!" "They look good next to each other." "Help me with this, Melanie." "Gorgeous isn't eveything." "This one, this one...two more." "The response to the drugs we tried... isn't what we hoped." "There are investigatoy drugs which we are willing to utilise." "However, if you become incapacitated, or it becomes unreasonable for you to handle your affairs for a time, it might be wise to make some decisions now." "Any questions?" "No." "I know what you're saying." "I have to figure out what to do with my kids." "Excuse me." "It's after ten." "Give my daughter the pain shot." "Mrs Greenway, I was going to." " Good." "Go ahead." " Just a few minutes." "Please." "It's after ten." "I don't see why she has to have this pain?" " Ma'am, It's not my patient." " It's time!" "Do something!" "All she has to do is hold on until ten!" "And it's past ten!" "My daughter's in pain!" " Give her the shot!" " Are you going to behave?" "GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!" "Thank you vey much." "Thank you." "Can I have 222, please?" " Let's get her!" " l'm pushing Grandma in!" "Don't you dare!" "I mean it." "Come on." " Say, "Hi, Granny."" " Hi, Granny." "Aurora?" "Well..." "Who would have expected you to be a nice guy?" "Who?" "It's good to see you." "Take care of yourself. I'll call you." "I'm real glad I came." "Your coming meant a lot to Emma." "It meant a lot to me, Garrett." "I'll be at the hospital all the time, I'll call you." "No, if there's someone there, I'll hear that funny sound in your voice." "I don't care." "Who cares?" "I don't care." "I'm glad you came, I love you." "Garrett!" "Garrett!" "Come here." "I was curious." "Do you have any reaction to my telling you I love you?" "I was lust inches from a clean getaway." "Well, you're stuck, so face it." "Well, I don't know what else to say except my stock answer." "Which is?" "I love you, too, kid." "Goodbye." "At the airport, we were standing there in front of the door hugging and kissing, and saying goodbye." " And you know what?" " What?" "I got up the nerve to tell him I loved him." "You know what his reaction was?" "I don't give a shit, Mom, I'm sick." "Not eveything is about you, I've got a lot to figure out." " l lust don't wanna fight any more." " What do you mean?" "When do we fight?" "When do we fight?" "You amaze me." "I always think of us as fighting." "That's from your end." "That's cos you're never satisfied with me." " Have you seen her yet today?" " Yes." "I've been with her most of last night and today, as usual." "I haven't, uh..." "really talked to the kids yet." "I'm not sure how much they realise, but they know something bad's happening." "Flap..." "Patsy wants to raise Melanie and maybe the boys." "I think they should be with me, don't you?" "What can you be thinking about?" "Raising three children, working full time and chasing women requires a lot more energy than you have." "You know, one of the nicest qualities about you is that you recognise your weaknesses." "Don't lose that quality when you need it the most." "You have no right, nor any invitation, to discuss where or how my children live." "From what the doctor says, it's time that we have the talk now." "Do you know how much I hate the idea of losing you?" "Yes." "Well, nobody..." "Nobody seems to know that except you." "I..." "Well..." "What?" "I'm thinking about my identity, and not having one any more." "Who am I, if I'm not the man who's failing Emma?" " You didn't fail me, Flap." " l don't wanna discuss it." "I feel like I'm sucking after forgiveness, which I probably am." "You were no more terrible than I was." "Except for the cheating." "You're right." "Let's not do this." "Look, we had problems." "It was never over whether we loved each other." "Oh, God!" "That tie!" "I can't believe you wore that!" "The mess it must've been finding it." "The house still isn't in one piece." "It was in the last box I looked in." "I'll bet." "God, you're easy to please." "I don't know why I couldn't do more of it." "I'm so glad we're talking, I lust am." "It lust means so much to me that we can still feel like this, so much." "I swear..." "Listen, I am getting tired." "Just tell me, hon, you really want to raise 'em?" "I never thought I was the sort of man who'd give up his kids." "It's a lot of work." "As hard as you think it is, you end up wishing it were that easy." "Where do you want them?" "I don't want them to end up with Janice." "Well, she's not so bad." "I really don't think they should be with you, honey." "Well..." "To tell you the honest truth... I'd probably screw it up." "I'll really miss them." "Well, maybe we should let Patsy take them." "It'd be easy for me to work research summers in New York." "No." "Patsy really only wants Melanie." "Mother should have them." "You can see them any time you want." "You'll decide things for them and eveything." "She can make that vey difficult." "She won't." "Well, I guess they should be with your mother." "I probably have that coming." "Flap, will you bring the boys by tomorrow?" "I've got that one waiting for me." "I gotta do it." " Yeah." " Thanks." "Come on, Pats, I gotta get ready." "Patsy." "Make-up!" "is it terrible to say I can't stand seeing your mother get her hands on that little girl?" "I'd lust love to raise that little girl." "Look, I'd let you, but Teddy couldn't spare her." "I can't stall any more, all right?" "You go out there and send the boys in." "Well, do I get to say something ever?" "No." "We don't have to do that, right?" "Come here." "You'll be fine." "You will." "It's lust this..." "You're my touchstone, Emma." "The boys." "Hi." "Come on." "I love you. I miss you." "God, I want you to come home." "Close the door." "God, you both look so gigantic to me." "I guess I look pretty bad to you." "Not so bad." "You both have beautiful eyes and your hair's too long." "I don't care about the back but keep your bangs cut, OK?" " It's too long." " That's a matter of opinion." "Just keep it short, all right?" "Are you getting well?" "Look up." "I'm sory about this but I can't help it." "I can't talk too long or I'll get real upset." "I want you to make a lot of friends." "And be real nice to the girls cos they'll be important to you, I swear." "We're not afraid of girls, what makes you think that?" " Well, you may be later on." " l doubt it." " Why don't you shut up?" "Shut up!" " You shut up." "Teddy, give me a kiss, come on." "Tommy, you be sweet." "Be sweet." "And stop tying to pretend like you hate me." "It's silly." "I like you." " Then listen especially close." " What?" " Listen real hard?" " l said what." "I know you like me. I know it." "For the last year or two, you've pretended like you hate me." "But I love you vey much, as much as I love anybody, as much as I love myself." "And in a few years when I haven't been around to irritate you, you're gonna remember." "You'll remember when I bought the baseball glove when we were broke or when I read you those stories, or when I let you goof off instead of mowing the lawn, lots of things." "You're gonna realise that you love me, and maybe you'll feel badly because you never told me, but don't." "I know that you love me." " So don't do that to yourself, OK?" " OK!" " OK?" " l said OK." "OK, you two should run along." "Take care." "Give me a kiss." "I was so scared, but I think it went well, don't you?" "Yeah?" "Tommy, if you need to talk, your dad will listen." "He's a vey smart man, you know." "Just say, "Dad, I'm confused." "I need to have a talk."" "You know, I met this boy back in River Oaks where l live." "He said the Cub Scouts in Houston are the best ever." "We were never scouts, our mother was too lazy to check it out." "No!" "Stop!" "Come on!" "Stop it!" "No!" "Listen to me!" "Listen." "It's OK, Tom." "It's OK." "Now..." "Hey!" "Stop it!" "I'm sory, but I lust can't have you criticising your mother around me." "Mr Horton." "Mr Horton?" "She's gone." "Oh, God, I'm so stupid." "So stupid..." "Somehow I thought..." "Somehow I thought when she finally went, that it would be a relief." "Oh, my sweet, little darling!" "Oh, dear." "There's nothing harder." "There's nothing..." "Do you want some cake?" " Why are you standing over here?" " l don't know." "You wanna come over and sit with me?" "Eveything's gonna be all right, Tommy." "There's fantastic dance schools in Houston." " Tap?" " Tap, ballet, aerobics..." "Anything you want." "Come over here and see your dad." "He really knows a pretty girl, doesn't he?" "She's too old for him." "Are you eating a wet bunny?" "Here." "Better go on over to Dad and eat it." "Hi, Vern." "How are you doing here?" "Hi." "I understand you're a swimmer." "Me, too." "But you're an astronaut, right?" "I'm an astronaut and a swimmer." "Pretty good-looking suit, there." "A little closer." "A little closer." "A little closer." "Do you want to see my pool?" "I don't know if the time is right." "You know, funeral and eveything." "Oh, I think it is." "Come on." "I'll show you the internationally infamous...uh..." "Breedlove crawl." "Just a little stroke I picked up out in space." "English"