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the best lawyers of any color； at least on this side of Birmingham。 Now perhaps I understand that a little bit better。
In her will； Mama wrote that she wanted 〃all cash； of which I do have a little； to go to the Blackwater Library Fund。 All negotiable items； of which I do have yet a few； should be sold by my executor at top price available within the twelvemonth following my death； and all proceeds donated to the Blackwater High School Scholarship Fund； with the understanding that any such resulting scholarships； which may be called Fortuna Walker Scholarships if the mittee would so honor me； should be given without regard to race or religion； as all during my life I； Fortuna Walker； have believed Whites to be every bit as good as Blacks； and Catholics almost as good as Southern Baptists。〃
How we chuckled at that nearly perfect microcosm of all her wit。 But there was no chuckling this afternoon。 At least； not after my sisters looked up from where they sat on her bed and saw me standing shocked in the doorway。
By then I had seen all I needed to see。 〃Anyone a step over puffick idiot'd know what that was about；〃 Mama herself no doubt would have said…more memoration。 And what I saw in my dead mother's bedroom will be printed on my memory until memoration itself ceases。
Her dresser drawers were open； all of them。 Her things were still in the top ones； although many of her blouses and scarves slopped over the edges； and it was clear that everything had been stirred about and pawed through…a puffick idiot could have seen that。 But the things which had been in the two bottom drawers had been pulled out and lay scattered in drifts across her rose…colored rug； the one which had never shown dirt because nothing dirty was allowed in that quiet room。 At least not until last evening； that is； when she was dead and unable to stop it。 What made it worse； what made them seem to me so much like pirates and plunderers； was the fact that it was her unmentionables lying there。 My dead mother's underwear； scattered hell to breakfast by her daughters； who in my eyes made Lear's look kind by parison。
Am I unkind？ Self…righteous？ I no longer know。 All I know is that my heart hurts and my head is roaring with confusion。 And I know what I saw： her drawers opened； her slips and underpants and righteous Playtex girdles spread across the floor。 And they on the bed； laughing； with a red tin box on the coverlet in the middle of their circle； a red box with its Sweetheart Girl cover taken off and laid aside。 It had been full of cash and jewelry。 Now it was empty and it was their hands that were full of her greenbacks and heirlooms。 How much might their trove have been worth？ Not a huge amount； but by no means paltry； some of the pins and broaches could have been costume stuff； but I saw two rings whose stones were； according to Mama herself； diamonds。 And Mama didn't lie。 One of them was her engagement ring。
It was perhaps a minute before they saw me。 I said nothing myself； I was literally struck dumb。
Evelyn； the oldest； looking young in spite of the gray in her hair； with her hands full of old tens and fives； put aside by my mother over the years。
Sophie； counting through official…looking papers that might have been stock certificates or perhaps treasury bonds； her fingers speeding along like a bank…teller ready to cash out her drawer for the weekend。
And my youngest sister； Maddy。 My schoolyard guardian angel。 Sitting with her palms full of pearls （probably cultured； I grant you） and earrings and necklaces； sorting through them； as absorbed as an archeologist。 That was what hurt the worst。 She hugged me when I got off the plane； and wept against my neck。 Now she picked through her dead mother's things； the good stuff and the trumpery； grinning like a jewel thief after a successful heist。
All of them grinning。 All of them laughing。
Evvie held up the cash money and said； 〃There's over eight thousand right here！ Won't Jack yell when I tell him！ And I bet this isn't all。 I bet…〃
Then she saw Sophie was no longer looking at her； and no longer smiling。 Evvie turned her head； and Madeline did； too。 The color left Maddy's cheeks； turning her rich plexion dull。
〃And how were you going to split it？〃 I heard myself ask in a voice that did not sound like my own at all。 〃Three ways？ Or is Floyd in on this； too？〃
And from behind me； as if he'd only been waiting for his cue； Floyd himself said： 〃Floyd's in on it； little brother。 Oh yes indeed。 Was Floyd told the ladies what that box looked like and where it was apt to be。 I saw it last winter。 She left it out when she was having one of her spells。 But you don't know about her spells； do you？〃
I turned； startled。 From the smell of the whiskey on Floyd's breath and the dark tinge of red in the corners of his eyes； the tot I'd seen him drinking on the porch hadn't been his first of the day。 Or his third； for that matter。 He pushed by me into the room； and said to Sophie （always his favorite）： 〃Evvie's right…there'll be more。 That box is the most of it； I think； but a long way from the all of it。〃
He turned to me and said； 〃She was a packrat。 That's what she turned into over the last few years。 One of the things she turned into； anyhow。〃
〃Her will…〃 I began。
〃Her will； what about it？〃 Sophie asked。 She dropped the papers she'd been studying to the coverlet and made a shooing gesture with her slim brown hands； as if dismissing the whole subject。 〃Do you think we had a chance to talk to her about it？ She shut us out。 Look who she got to draw up her death…letter。 Law Tidyman！ That old Uncle Tom！〃
The contempt with which she spoke struck me deep； not because of the sentiment but because of the simple fact that I'd seen Sophie and Evelyn and Evvie's Jack laughing and talking with Law Tidyman and Law's wife Sulla not half an hour before。 Best of friends； they'd looked like。
〃You don't know how she got these last few years； Rid；〃 Madeline said。 She sat there； her lap all but overflowing with her mother's keepsakes and gracenotes； sat there defending what she was doing…what they were doing。 〃She…〃
〃I might not know how she got；〃 I said； 〃but I know pretty damned well what she wanted。 Wasn't I there with the rest of you when Law read her will？ Didn't we all sit around in a circle； like at a goddamned seance？ And isn't that what it was； with Mama talking to us from the other side of her grave？ Didn't I hear her say in Law Tidyman's voice that she wanted that there…〃 I pointed to the plunder on the bed。 〃…to go to the town library and to the high school scholarship fund？ In her name； if they'd have it that way？〃
My voice was rising； I couldn't help it。 Because now Floyd was sitting on the bed with them； one arm around Sophie's shoulders； as if to fort her。 And when Maddy's hand crept into his； he took it the way you take the hand of a frightened child。 To fort her； too。 It was them on the bed and me in the doorway and I saw their eyes and knew they were against me。 Even Maddy was against me。 Especially Maddy； it seems。 My schoolyard angel。
〃Didn't you see me there； nodding my head because I understood what she wanted？ I know