Interiors Page #2

I really... I don't know.

Why are you always so negative about it?

I don't think that was negative.

You're always reluctant to encourage me.

I don't know why.

Mother, I know you're optimistic,

but it's important to be realistic too.

Is there something you know

that you're not saying?

Dr. Lobel doesn't think it's unrealistic

to hope that your father and I

might reconcile.

It's just a goal.

Fine. I didn't say anything

to get in the way of that.

You always make it sound

as though it's impossible.

I didn't say it was impossible.

Yes, you did.

You implied that a lot.

- Renata thinks it's going to happen.

- Renata.

- I'm sure she didn't say that.

- Yes, she did. She implied that.

- Maybe you read into...

- No, I didn't.

She just looks on the bright side.

Great.

That's wonderful. I just don't think

you should delude yourself either.

You don't think there's any chance your

father will want to live with me again?

I didn't say that.

Renata thinks there's a good chance.

Just wait and see.

You just refuse to encourage me.

Why don't you discuss it with Renata?

I will, thank you. I will.

Mother paced all the time.

She was an insomniac.

You could

always hear her upstairs,

pacing in the middle of the night.

But that was more when she

got back from the hospital.

I...

I saw her

the first day that they brought her back...

She had had all this

electric shock therapy,

and her hair looked gray.

I couldn't believe it.

It was like

she was a stranger.

After that, she was always sort of,

coming in and

going out.

You never knew.

Before her breakdown, she was a very

successful woman, very demanding.

She put Dad through law school and

financed the start of his practice

so, in a sense, it was like

he was her creation.

We kept getting shuffled

around to aunts and cousins.

I guess Joey had the worst of it 'cause...

As a kid, Joey was very high-strung.

She was a bright kid.

She was very sensitive.

We'd spend some time with Dad,

mostly long Sunday breakfasts.

I always resented his relationship to her.

I always felt that he favored Joey.

It just seemed that they were very

close and that I was left out.

I like Frederick.

He has dignity,

and promise as a writer.

My own strength is visual.

Your images are visual, Renata.

But, in all candor,

I much prefer Frederick to Mike.

Mike's fine, Mother.

He uses a very strong after-shave.

It permeates the house.

I don't want to talk about it.

Do you think, if I bought him another

kind of cologne, that he would switch?

Can we talk about something else?

Well, let me give him some.

Then we won't have to talk about it.

It'll just be my gift.

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