yes, Helen. It's just that we see so little of her these days. She's become ... very introspective," she said, throwing her hand up dramatically. Both she and Jean laughed.
"What do you mean?"
"Actually, we're being unfair. Helen had something of a nervous breakdown after Gloria Jaffee's death and went on medication. She's into therapy, but she's a wonderful, kind person, and very attractive," Norma said.
"Gloria Jaffee?"
Norma and Jean looked at each other quickly.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Jean said. "I just assumed you knew about the Jaffees." She turned to Norma. "Put my foot in my mouth again, huh?"
"Seems you did, partner."
*
"Who are the Jaffees?" Miriam asked.
"I don't see how you wouldn't find it all out very soon anyway. It's just that I didn't want to be the one who threw some cold water on the fires of excitement and happiness here," Jean said.
"That's all right. I need something to bring me down. It's naive to think everything will always be peaches and cream," Miriam replied.
"Very good attitude," Norma said. "I like that. It's about time we had someone in our group who had some perspective. Jean and I get carried away sometimes, and with Helen so depressing these days, we just tend to avoid anything unpleasant."
"Tell me about the Jaffees," Miriam insisted.
"Richard Jaffee is the attorney your husband is replacing. He killed himself after his wife died in childbirth," Jean said quickly.
"My God!"
"Yes. They had .. . everything to live for. The baby was born healthy, a son," Norma said, "and Richard was brilliant. Dave says Richard was the sharpest attorney he'd ever met, including Mr. Milton."
"How tragic." Miriam thought for a moment and then looked up quickly. "They lived in our apartment, didn't they?" The girls nodded. "I thought so . .. the nursery..."
"Oh, I feel so bad about depressing you," Jean moaned.
"No, it's all right. How did Mr. Jaffee die?"
Norma smirked and shook her head.
"He jumped off the patio," Jean said quickly. "There, now I've told you all the horrible details, and if you're unhappy, Ted's going to blame me."
"Oh no, I'm sure .. ."
"Dave's not going to be ecstatic about my part in this, either," Norma said.
"No, really, it's all right. I'll deal with it. Kevin should have told me right away, that's all."
"He's just trying to protect you," Norma said. "Like a good husband. Dave and Ted are the same way, right, Jean?" .
"Right. Can't fault them for that, Miriam."
"But we're not children!" Miriam exclaimed. Instead of being upset with her response, the two laughed.
"No, we're not," Norma said. "But we're loved, cherished, protected. You might not realize how important that is just yet, Miriam, but believe me . .. believe us, after a while, you'll see how wonderful it is. Why, Jean and I don't even ask about the grisly details of our husbands' cases anymore, and the boys don't talk about them around us."
"Isn't that thoughtful?" Jean added.
Miriam looked from one to the other. Then she sat back. Maybe it was thoughtful; maybe if she hadn't been so involved in the details of the Lois Wilson case, she wouldn't have been so upset about the way Kevin had handled it, and she could have taken more pleasure in his success, a success that had contributed to all this.
"After all"—Norma continued to pound home the point—"they're working hard to make things wonderful for us."
"The least we can do," Jean concluded, "is make it easier for them to do so."
They laughed in unison and sipped some wine.
Miriam said nothing for a moment. "Tell me about Helen Scholefield," she said.
"How is she?"
"Oh, she's improving. Therapy has helped a great deal. Mr. Milton recommended someone as soon as he heard she was having problems," Norma said.
"She's been painting again, too, and that's helped as well," Jean added.
"Oh yes. And she's good. I'm sure she will be happy to show you her work."
"Actually, it's very good. Reminds me of Chagall, but with a touch of Goodfellow. You remember
"What do you mean?"
"Actually, we're being unfair. Helen had something of a nervous breakdown after Gloria Jaffee's death and went on medication. She's into therapy, but she's a wonderful, kind person, and very attractive," Norma said.
"Gloria Jaffee?"
Norma and Jean looked at each other quickly.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Jean said. "I just assumed you knew about the Jaffees." She turned to Norma. "Put my foot in my mouth again, huh?"
"Seems you did, partner."
*
"Who are the Jaffees?" Miriam asked.
"I don't see how you wouldn't find it all out very soon anyway. It's just that I didn't want to be the one who threw some cold water on the fires of excitement and happiness here," Jean said.
"That's all right. I need something to bring me down. It's naive to think everything will always be peaches and cream," Miriam replied.
"Very good attitude," Norma said. "I like that. It's about time we had someone in our group who had some perspective. Jean and I get carried away sometimes, and with Helen so depressing these days, we just tend to avoid anything unpleasant."
"Tell me about the Jaffees," Miriam insisted.
"Richard Jaffee is the attorney your husband is replacing. He killed himself after his wife died in childbirth," Jean said quickly.
"My God!"
"Yes. They had .. . everything to live for. The baby was born healthy, a son," Norma said, "and Richard was brilliant. Dave says Richard was the sharpest attorney he'd ever met, including Mr. Milton."
"How tragic." Miriam thought for a moment and then looked up quickly. "They lived in our apartment, didn't they?" The girls nodded. "I thought so . .. the nursery..."
"Oh, I feel so bad about depressing you," Jean moaned.
"No, it's all right. How did Mr. Jaffee die?"
Norma smirked and shook her head.
"He jumped off the patio," Jean said quickly. "There, now I've told you all the horrible details, and if you're unhappy, Ted's going to blame me."
"Oh no, I'm sure .. ."
"Dave's not going to be ecstatic about my part in this, either," Norma said.
"No, really, it's all right. I'll deal with it. Kevin should have told me right away, that's all."
"He's just trying to protect you," Norma said. "Like a good husband. Dave and Ted are the same way, right, Jean?" .
"Right. Can't fault them for that, Miriam."
"But we're not children!" Miriam exclaimed. Instead of being upset with her response, the two laughed.
"No, we're not," Norma said. "But we're loved, cherished, protected. You might not realize how important that is just yet, Miriam, but believe me . .. believe us, after a while, you'll see how wonderful it is. Why, Jean and I don't even ask about the grisly details of our husbands' cases anymore, and the boys don't talk about them around us."
"Isn't that thoughtful?" Jean added.
Miriam looked from one to the other. Then she sat back. Maybe it was thoughtful; maybe if she hadn't been so involved in the details of the Lois Wilson case, she wouldn't have been so upset about the way Kevin had handled it, and she could have taken more pleasure in his success, a success that had contributed to all this.
"After all"—Norma continued to pound home the point—"they're working hard to make things wonderful for us."
"The least we can do," Jean concluded, "is make it easier for them to do so."
They laughed in unison and sipped some wine.
Miriam said nothing for a moment. "Tell me about Helen Scholefield," she said.
"How is she?"
"Oh, she's improving. Therapy has helped a great deal. Mr. Milton recommended someone as soon as he heard she was having problems," Norma said.
"She's been painting again, too, and that's helped as well," Jean added.
"Oh yes. And she's good. I'm sure she will be happy to show you her work."
"Actually, it's very good. Reminds me of Chagall, but with a touch of Goodfellow. You remember
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