BRENDA clamps her mouth closed. She hadn’t said anything to anybody about the money and she won’t until she is desperate. She isn’t desperate now; she is working.
VICKI
(laughing, as though what BRENDA said was funny)
How about a sandwich? I can make tuna.
BRENDA
No thanks.
VICKI
You have to eat.
BRENDA
You’re right, Mom. How about a bag of Oreos?
MELANIE
How’s it going?
BRENDA
BRENDA stops typing and looks up.
Fine. How’s it going with you?
There was the outlandish assertion by DIDI-from-admitting on the day of VICKI’s CT scan—BRENDA, unbeknownst to anyone, had cal ed the hospital administration to complain—and ever since then, BRENDA had been watching MELANIE closely, especial y when JOSH was around. But she saw no interaction between them. They barely spoke. When MELANIE walked into a room, JOSH walked out.
MELANIE
(taken aback by BRENDA’s sudden interest)
I’m okay.
MELANIE’s voice is melancholy. It harkens back to their first days in the house, when MELANIE moped al the time. There had been some recent phone cal s from Peter, but MELANIE spoke in a clipped tone and ended the cal s quickly.
I’m bummed about the end of summer.
BRENDA
Wel , that makes two of us.
MELANIE
What are you doing after we leave?
BRENDA
(focusing on the computer screen, ruing her decision to engage MELANIE in this much conversation) That remains to be seen. How about you?
MELANIE
Ditto.
There is a long pause, during which BRENDA fears MELANIE is trying to read the computer screen.
MELANIE burps.
MELANIE
Sorry, I have heartburn.
BRENDA
You’re on your own there.
JOSH
How’s it going?
BRENDA
Fine.
JOSH
Do you think you’l sel it?
BRENDA
I have no idea. I hope so.
BRENDA thinks,
You don’t know anyone in the business, do you?
JOSH
