Other Echoes

They spent a few minutes catching up on offspring stories before the shadow of their brother, Geoff, came back. “Geoff is dying and we can’t do anything about that—we have to make his time as pleasant as possible,” mused Maddie. “I’ll get to San Francisco next week. I know—I’ll take him the stuff you wrote about our family . . . and by the way, that was some decent writing, little sis. Even though these folks are pretty boring. They didn’t do anything memorable. Are you sure that they’re the right ancestors?” “Alas, yes,” replied Kate. “Don’t feel too depressed about it, Maddie. Most of the people who have ever lived—no, almost all of the people who have ever lived left nothing remarkable about them. Maybe they were interesting folks, but time erases most of what they were.” “So, we just have us,” sighed Maddie. “We just have who we are to remember who they were. Hey, I like that. Must incorporate it into the book . . .” Kate suddenly sat up straighter and groaned. “Don’t look just yet, but James is here.” Maddie immediately turned to gaze at the rear entrance of the restaurant. Sure enough, it was their brother, James, who stood surveying the room. She had not seen him in nearly a year, and although he had grown rounder and lost some hair, he still exuded a restless vitality. He was dressed casually but expensively in khaki designer slacks and a dark green polo shirt, and his expression changed from one of composed indifference to unpleasant shock when he saw his sisters. It took a moment before he began to walk toward their table. “Maddie, when did you get here?” he demanded. Maddie rose and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. “Dear James, nice to see you too!” she giggled. “Put on weight, have we?” James frowned and looked at Kate accusingly. “Why didn’t you tell me that our sister was coming? I could have arranged something . . .” “Yeah—speeches for me to give at your clubs! You know, the ‘my sister the best-selling author’ bullshit,” sneered Maddie. “C’mon, James, sit down and have a drink with us. Tell me about Eleanor and the kids.” “I’m meeting some people,” said James quickly, scanning the room again. “But they’re not here, so I guess that I have time for a quick one.” He sat down next to Kate on the cushioned bench. Enoch, ever attentive, appeared immediately to take James’s order for Gentleman Jack whiskey on the rocks. “Katie, I’ve scheduled a meeting with the attorneys for next Tuesday. If you’re still here, Maddie, you might want to come. You know that Katie wants to dissolve the trust and distribute the assets.” “She knows,” said Kate wearily. “What do you think about this?” asked James. “Egad Maddie, lay off of the martinis for a while. You’re looking old.” “Dear James, always so supportive,” said Maddie with forced sweetness, signaling Enoch for another drink. “Actually, I think that it is time for the trust to be dissolved. Besides, Geoff—I mean, you do know about your brother?” “I know,” said James shortly. “Damned, stupid fags . . . spreading disease with their weird sex stuff—” “James!” snapped Kate quickly. “Don’t start this.” “My, my brother, but you have become more of a bigot than I remembered,” sighed Maddie. “Never try to teach a pig to talk. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.” James glowered at her. “So how are your husbands, Mad? Where are your kids?” “Let’s not do this now,” suggested Kate wearily. “Look, our brother is dying and the three of us are sitting here getting blasted and chewing on each other.” “Aren’t families wonderful?” said Maddie sourly. “So, James, what do you think of our family history? Has Kate told you about her work seeking our ancestors?” James took a long drink of his whiskey. “She has. Kind of a waste of time, actually. They’re all dead.” “Nope,” responded Kate. “They’re all right here.” She lifted her hand and surveyed it solemnly. “They are right here in the cells of our bodies, James. What they were is here.” She poked him lightly in his ample stomach. “Hmmmph,” he responded. “You girls have gone nuts. Too bad that these ancestors didn’t have the knack of hanging on to their property.” “You haven’t changed a bit,” Maddie declared. “Well, gosh, Mad, I’m sorry that I’ll never live up to any of the studly heroes in one of your pieces of literature!” snapped James, glancing around the room again and silently praying for his business appointment to arrive. He loved his sisters in an absent sort of way, but was not in the mood to deal with them right now. Maddie began to explain about their something great-great ancestors, who had struggled on tobacco lands and didn’t have a lot of money. “Can’t you throw in some noble ancestors? So why didn’t the family hang on to the lands?” he asked after listening for longer than he wished. “Things were different then, James. The rich people were buying up the big tracts of land and with the population expansion, many sons had to leave the state,” explained Kate. “Or province, I should say since Maryland wasn’t actually a state until after—” “Spare me,” interrupted James quickly. He finished his drink in one gulp. “My friends are here . . . gotta go. Call me tomorrow, girls, and we’ll arrange a family dinner or something.” James was gone as quickly as he had arrived. Kate and Maddie looked at each other and laughed. “Some things never change,” said Maddie. “Exactly my point,” replied Kate. “Okay, we have to make a decision now, Mad.” “And that is?” “Food. Let’s order.”