The first person to phone is my Aunt, from Keene.  She's surprised to find it's me that answers.
 

   "I've been trying to reach your father for days," she says.  "Where is he?  Is he all right?"

 

    I tell her about the hospital and ask her why she didn't just call my sister.  She tells me they had words.  My sister had some not so nice things to say to her.  Apparently, it had something to do with the will.  Everything belonged to my father, now and he had to make out a will.  The will that my mother and father made out together, no longer counted and he had to write out a new one.  My sister and her husband convinced him that they should get everything and he whole heartily agreed.  My mother, of course, would have wanted everything split right down the middle and since my uncle had Power of Attorney, he hid half of everything away for me.

 

    "Ben, before you hang up, I want to apologize."

 

    "For what?"

 

    "You knew all along how sick Shirl was and I just couldn't accept it.  I shouldn't have doubted you."

 

    "Forget it.  It's all water under the bridge."

 

    "I also want to apologize for the jewelry."

 

    On this point, I'm a tad confused.

 

    "What do you mean?"

 

    "Didn't your sister tell you?"

 

    "Tell me what?"

 

    "It was all in her vault, all along.  About two months ago, she went to the vault to get some documents and found all the jewelry."

 

    -That bitch-

 

    "No.  She never said anything to me."

 

    "They're funny people," my aunt adds.  "Your mother would be so upset with them.  I think it's more him than your sister."

 

    I think not.  I don't think marrying someone constitutes, or justifies, your surrendering yourself; your walking out on the person you are.  No, I think marriage; the ultimate expression of love, is when two separate individuals walk hand in hand along the same road.  They continue to think individually and act individually because as individuals, it's each other they support, trust and love.  If my brother-in-law does all of my sisters thinking; all of my sisters decision making, then he doesn't have himself an equal partner.  What he has, is, a puppy and I feel sorry for her if he ever grows bored enough to go his own separate way.

 

    "Okay, Ben.  I'm going to go.  Give your father my best.  Have him call me when he gets home."

 

    I don't talk to anybody again, until the following afternoon.