The Skeleton Key Page #2

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Is somebody back there?

I'm sorry.

Excuse me. I just need to pay for some gas.

[Orders in French]

[baby crying]

CAROLlNE:
Jesus.

[Speaking in French]

[Speaking in French]

$17 for the gas.

CAROLlNE:
Keep the change.

Mrs. devereaux?

I'm unpacked.

[blues music playing on record player]

Hi, Ben. Remember me? I'm Caroline.

I'll be taking care of you for a while.

There's not a lot of light in here

for you, is there?

So you're a fan of the blues, huh?

Well, so was-

You have to let go.

Ben, you're hurting me.

Ouch.

VlOLET:
There you are.

Time for his remedies.

Scoot over, child.

9:
00 in the morning and 7:00 at night.

He takes his pills in powder form.

I'll show you how.

be sure he drinks it all down.

CAROLlNE:
What's he taking?

VlOLET:
Oh, Coumadin and such.

He gets the tremors sometimes.

don't let that frighten you.

And a kiss to make it taste better.

You're scrawnier than I'd hoped.

Prettier, though.

I bet you're all marked up, aren't you?

- Marked up?

- Written on.

I know you young people are always...

jabbing yourselves with ink and needles.

You're written on, aren't you?

Not where you can see.

Well.

He's to be bathed daily, his linens changed.

don't bother with the housework.

I'm the only one that knows how.

How long have you two lived here?

Let's see.

We came over from Savannah in '62.

We bought this house

from a brother and a sister.

They'd inherited it a long time ago,

from their parents.

Lived here since they were children.

VlOLET:
There they are. Martin and Grace.

VlOLET:
Charming people.

But they fell on hard times, had to sell.

You keep their picture?

Yes. I like to pay my respects

to the memories of this house.

All right. Come along now.

This is the dining room.

We only use about half of the rooms.

The others are for Ben's antique business.

What he couldn't sell, we stored here.

Except for the attic.

That has crystal and china.

And I keep a very close account

on that, just so as you know.

There are more than 30 rooms in all.

In the old days, they made

a separate key for each room.

For the owner, they made a skeleton key.

This will open every door.

This one is yours.

I have mine.

Now, the pantry's right out here.

You know, we may have to ask you

to go into town now and then.

Was there a mirror here once?

I noticed in the bathrooms also

there are no mirrors.

Child, when you get as worn-out

and wrinkled as we are...

you don't need any reminding.

If you want a small one

for your own purposes...

that's fine with me.

- What'd you do with them?

- Put them away.

VlOLET:
The boy tells me you don't smoke.

I do smoke. I smoke a lot

and I enjoy it very much.

I trust that won't be an issue.

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