Nutty As a Fruitcake by Mary Daheim Read Free Book Online Page B

insight. “It’s not only my brother and me,” she said in a rush. “Mama picks at everybody in the family—Art’s wife, JoAnne, and their boys, Greg and Dave. Usually, she spares my daughter. But last night Mama and Leigh had a big row. I don’t know what it was all about, but the fact that she got mad at Leigh shows how sick Mama really is.”
    As far as Judith was concerned, the incident showed that Mrs. Goodrich was making up for lost time. Indeed, Judith marveled that Enid had ever treated any of her kinfolk kindly. As for Leigh, Judith vaguely recalled Glenda’s daughter as a sulky, overweight teenager.
    â€œAdolescence is hard,” Judith said in a voice distracted by the sound of footsteps overhead. “Along with everything else, kids at that age lose all respect for their elders.”
    Glenda frowned at Judith. “Leigh’s twenty-two. She’s a model. Didn’t you see her last month on the cover of Vogue ?”
    Judith hadn’t. Or if she had, she certainly hadn’t recognized the superpuss staring out at her from the checkout stand at Falstaff’s Market.
    â€œThat’s wonderful,” Judith gulped. “Does she live in New York?”
    â€œPart of the time,” Glenda replied, her pinched features relaxing slightly as the conversation switched to a more pleasant topic. “But she came home for Thanksgiving and plans to stay until after New Year’s. Leigh has a lull in her schedule,and she doesn’t really like New York or Paris or Milan that much.”
    Clearly, Leigh had changed quite a bit since Judith had last seen her. She would have inquired further into the young woman’s career, but the first of her guests were descending the stairs.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Judith apologized. “I must get the punch ready.” Noting Glenda’s abrupt return into gloom, Judith hastily invited her to stay for a drink.
    â€œI can’t,” Glenda said with a faint nod at Judith’s guests. “Mama will wonder where I am. I promised to give her a massage. Please don’t pester her anymore. It’s so hard on…everybody.” With slumped shoulders, Glenda departed.
    To Judith’s relief, Joe had filled the punch bowl. She whisked it off to the living room, chatted briefly with the retired couple from Idaho, greeted the German professors from Bonn, and scooted back into the kitchen before the young lovers from Redding arrived.
    â€œMaybe we should shelve the plan to coerce the Goodriches into putting up that sign,” Judith said as Joe poured them each a scotch. She explained about the visit from Glenda. “Enid refuses to cooperate. Why borrow trouble?”
    Joe opened the oven to check the steaks under the broiler. “It’s not healthy to let people always get their own way.”
    Setting her drink on the counter, Judith got out the table settings, including one for Gertrude. “You’re right, Joe. But Enid’s too old to change. She’s got George and her kids and the grandchildren under her thumb.”
    â€œNot us.” Joe tested the potatoes that were boiling on top of the stove. “Hey, Jude-girl—you know me. I can’t let people get away with stuff. It’s my job, remember?”
    Observing the sudden steeliness in her husband’s eyes, Judith realized she was up against a war of wills: Joe versus Enid. The phone rang before Judith could say anything.
    It was Ted Ericson, who announced that he had brought home the sign for the Goodriches’ yard. Judith groaned inwardly. “We still haven’t cleared it with Mrs. Goodrich,” she said into the phone. “I guess Joe’s going over there after dinner.” A glance at her husband caught him nodding his head. “We’ll get back to you. Thanks, Ted.”
    â€œYou see?” said Joe, draining the cauliflower. “Ted’s done his bit. It probably cost his firm a