"M. Rickert - Anyway" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rickert Mary)

"What is it, Dad?"

"Well, that was the beginning, you know."

"The beginning?"

"Yeah, the beginning of the Alzheimer's. 'Course, I didn't know it then. I thought she
was just going a little bit nuts." He shrugs. "It happened. Lots of women used to go
crazy back then."
"Dad, what are you talking about?"

"All that business with Tony." His voice cracks on the name. After all these years he
can still not say my brother's name without breaking under the grief.

"Forget it, Dad. Never mind."

"She almost drove me nuts, asking it all the time."

"Okay, let's just forget about it."

"All those fights we had about the draft and Vietnam, and then he went and got
killed anyway. You were just a girl then, so you probably don't remember, it almost
tore us apart."

"We don't have to talk about this, Dad."

I turn into the driveway. My father stares straight ahead. I wait a few seconds and
then open my car door; he leans to open his. When I walk beside him to guide him
by the elbow, he steps away from me. "I'm not an invalid," he says. He reaches in
his pocket and pulls out his keys. Together we walk to the door, which he unlocks
with shaking hands. I step inside and flick on the light switch. It is the living room of a
lonely old man, the ancient plaid couch and recliner, family photographs gathering
dust, fake ivy.

"Satisfied?" he says, turning toward me.

I shake my head, shrug. I'm not sure what he's talking about.

"No boogeymen are here stealing all your inheritance, all right?"

"Dad, IтАФ"

"The jewels are safe."

He laughs at that. I smile weakly. "Happy Birthday, Dad," I say.

But he has already turned and headed into the bedroom. "Wait, let me check on the
jewels."

My father, the smart aleck.