Sex and the Other Woman Page #3

As we come from the earth,

so we are returned to it.

I don't like

to think about that.

When I was very young,

like you...

I was frightened

of death too.

So, to set my mind at peace...

my baboushka told me when it came

time to die I must not be afraid.

I must look for an angel...

who would come from paradise.

And this angel would smile...

and fold me

in her beautiful white wings...

and carry me off to heaven.

Baboushka called her-

[SPEAKS RUSSIAN PHRASE]

Which means...

"the angel of the brighter day."

And from that time

I was no longer afraid of death.

You see?

And when I came here...

and found this church...

this angel became for me...

the angel of the brighter day.

You see?

Do you still believe

she will come?

Oh, yes.

Will the angel come for me

when I die?

If you believe...

then surely she will.

Thank you, Mr. Clifford.

Thank you, sir.

Alexandra.

Mr. Angelini,

can I borrow your clippers?

Thank you, Mr. Angelini.

Here's the Anthony Adverse

at last!

Thank you.

It's positively gargantuan!

It'll take me all summer

to read this.

I'll read to ya.

When you were younger,

I used to read to you two.

Now you read to me.

What was that story

you both used to love so?

The one about the pig that got roasted with

an apple in his mouth- poor, greedy thing.

One of Holland's favorites.

That was Piggy Lookadoo.

But Holland's real favorite...

was the story

of the changeling.

You know, the fairy tale

about the elves stealing the baby?

It's a horrid story.

I don't like things like that.

- What about Uncle Tom's Cabin?

- Terrific!

Eliza crossing the ice

carrying her baby...

and the dogs chasing her,

and then Simon Legree with his whip...

and Topsy's eating watermelon...

and little Eva dies

and goes to heaven.

- Remember?

- [LAUGHING] I remember.

And you said to me,

"Mother, what did you do in the Civil War?"

[BOTH LAUGHING]

Are you hoping?

Yes, darling, I'm hoping.

Everything is going

to be all right now.

Everything's going to be all right.

- Guess what.

- What?

We're gonna have another show

in the barn this summer.

A magic show with a trick.

- What kind of a trick?

- I can't tell.

We want it to be a surprise.

Oh!

I have a present for you.

- Another present?

- Close your eyes. Come on.

[RING RATTLING IN CAN]

Okay. You can open 'em now.

Guess which one.

Left or right?

- Left.

- Wrong.

Open it.

You have to warm them up.

It only takes a second.

They're Mexican

jumping beans, Mother.

Don't you think

they're cheerful?

Yes, very.

- Niles.

- Hmm?

Do you know what this is?

Sure.

It's the family crest.

A peregrine falcon.

"Peregrine" for Perry.

Like the weather vane?

Mm-hmm.

And the ring?

Mm-hmm.

[HORN HONKING]

Here comes the vegetable man!

- [HORN HONKING]

- Corn and beans! Corn and beans!

Succotash time!

I gotta get Mr. Pretty his root beer,

or he'll have a conniption!

Don't you dare track dirt in.

I just washed my linoleum.

Here you go, Mr. Pretty!

Well, thank you, Niles.

That'll sure wet my whistle.

- Here.

- Thank you, Mr. Pretty!

- [WINNIE] Now where you goin'?

- Swimming!

You know,

I been wonderin' all week-

Your neighbor lady,

she go away or somethin'?

Mrs. Rowe?

That's what we been wonderin'.

Well, usually she boils up

a mess of tripe on Fridays...

and I bring her

some dandelion greens for it.

But I can't raise a soul.

Well, between you and me...

I don't think Mrs. Rowe's

such a good housekeeper.

You wouldn't believe

the smell over there.

Let me have

a couple of cakes.

Swiss chard's nice today.

Mrs. Alexander

don't like Swiss chard.

[WHISTLING]

Going for a dip.

Be back soon.

[FOOTSTEPS DESCENDING STAIRCASE]

[SCREEN DOOR OPENS]

[SCREEN DOOR CLOSES]

[NILES] What's the last thing

you'd like to see...

before you die?

[HOLLAND]

The last thing?

[NILES] I mean, if there was

one very last thing...

you could wish to see

before you die, what would it be?

[HOLLAND]

Listen...

if I was dying...

I'd be too busy doing just that,

and so would you.

I'd wish to see...

her.

- See who?

- The angel.

You know.

Ada's angel in the church.

Just before I died...

the angel

would swoop down...

and take me in her wings...

and carry me off to heaven.

That's what Ada says.

- How do you know she wouldn't take you to hell?

- Angels don't go to hell.

Only bad people do.

Come on, Niles, will ya!

Wait a minute!

I'm coming! I'm coming!

That damn Uncle George.

He said he was gonna do it,

and he did.

Come on.

Hey, Holland,

we get enough of this stuff...

we could use it to catch us

when we do the magic show.

You know, like a mattress.

Know what I mean?

There isn't gonna be

any magic show. Not now.

Why not?

Figure it out, little brother.

Think it all out.

We build the stage

over the trap door...

you turn the cabinet,

I drop down...

and then what happens?

You run out,

around the back stairs...

and appear in the audience

like Chan-Yu did.

- Okay, how do I run out?

- Through there.

Through here?

[DOOR RATTLES]

See what I mean?

That damn Uncle George.

Well, we're gonna need

more cattails anyway.

Lots of 'em.

So let's get 'em.

Come on.

[HOLLAND]

Hey! Come on, will ya!

Niles, we will eat soon.

Go wash. Put on some clothes.

- Right now?

- [SPEAKS RUSSIAN]

- Where are you going?

- To Mrs. Rowe.

She's alone over there

and may have taken sick.

- Can I come?

- [RUSSIAN]

[HORN HONKING]

[RINGS]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[DOORBELL RINGS]

No! Child, don't look.

Run. Go get your Uncle George.

Tell him to call the constable.

[NILES]

She's dead!

- Who? Who?

- Who's dead?

Old lady Rowe-

l-I mean, Mrs. Rowe!

- Ada says come!

- Oh, my God.

And call the constable!

[PANTING]

- [AUNT VEE] George. George!

- Get on the phone.

George, come here!

- George, Mrs. Rowe is dead,

and Ada's over there alone.

- I'll be right there.

Evelyn? It's Torrie Gannon.

We've had some more trouble over here.

Can you locate the constable?

When you find him,

have him come to Mrs. Rowe's house...

out on Valley Hill Road

right away.

It's urgent. Thank you.

[DOOR CLOSES]

I told ya! I told ya!

I knew someone

would find that stuff!

Goddamn it, Niles!

I told ya!

You said she'd never find 'em.

You said put 'em in the desk!

- You said she'd never come in here!

- Never mind what I said.

She found it, and she's got it.

She's got it, little brother...

and you'd better get it back.

Get it back.

[WHISPERS]

I mean it.

Tell her you want it. It's yours.

It doesn't belong to her.

It was Father's ring.

I gave it to you. It's not hers.

Yeah, but it's supposed to be buried.

She knows that.

[SOBBING]

What are we gonna do?

I told you what to do.

Get it back.

[SOBBING CONTINUES]

[SOBBING CONTINUES]

- Mother.

- [GASPS]

[SOBBING CONTINUES]

Mother, come away.

Mother, please.

Please, Mother.

[GROANING]

[SOBBING CONTINUES]

Mother, you hurt your hand.

Oh, Mother.

You found the tobacco tin.

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