593 Riverside Drive - 32. Chapter 32

“That may be the most polite Lewinson has been during this trial,” my father began. “And though he never seemed to be talking down to your staff, Ella, he didn’t seem to give them the attention he gave the doctors, either. It was almost like they weren’t important, or he wasn’t serious.”

“I’m not sure it was that,” Pic interpreted, “so much as there was less to be gained by his questioning them. As he said I think at least twice, Steuer’s questions helped Joe’s case as much as they did yours.”

“But how does our home being happy help us both?” Ella wondered.

“Well, on your side, it confirms that you’re not leaving Joe out of unhappiness,” Pic went on. “It also deflects any possibility of greed – because you left without anything and have asked for nothing since. That supports what you’ve already let the judge know – that except for the difficulties with your relations, you and Joe were fine.”

“We were and are,” Ella agreed. “And it’s sad that this happened – and from the start.”

“But how does that help Joe?” my mother asked.

“Well, Ella’s outward happiness could make it seem that the relation difficulties never existed,” it seemed Pic almost had to say. “And she was so good at covering them – even from the people who saw her every day, like her staff – that Lewinson could say that even if they were real, they were so ordinary they hardly mattered.”

“But the doctors confirmed what Ella said,” Florrie objected.

“And that’s why it was more important that Lewinson undermine their opinions,” Lewis explained. “The doctors are a threat to him in ways Ella and Joe’s staff isn’t.”

“Why?” Essie pursued.

“Because Lewinson is always looking at this trial as being about money,” Pic resumed. “And with a reason – so many divorce cases come down to that, especially when the people are wealthy. So all along, he’s been trying to protect Joe from how much the judge is going to award to Ella.”

“But I don’t want anything,” Ella insisted again.

“The judge will make a settlement anyway – and it will be based on Joe’s worth.”

“And if I turn it down?”

“You can – or simply never cash his checks.”

“But what about the jewelry and securities Joe has already given her?” Herbert asked.

“I’ve never felt they were mine,” Ella protested, “and have always been uncomfortable with them. They’re certainly not why I married Joe.”

“Then what are you going to live on?” Herbert continued.

“What I did before – I’ll go home and take care of Mama and Papa. For one thing, it’s my duty, and it was hard enough for me to leave that for Joe.”

“You would have been a fool not to,” my father reminded her.

“That’s what everyone said,” Ella allowed. “And why I finally had to speak with my parents.”

“Unfortunately, they’re not going to live forever,” my mother interjected. “And while they’ll leave a little something that the rest of us will immediately agree should come to you, it’s not what Izz and Abe will share from being Papa’s business partners – and not even Sol will divide that because he comfortably supports himself as an illustrator. And no matter what Mama and Papa leave, it won’t last your lifetime.”

“That doesn’t matter. There are other older people who need care – some right in our family. And no one can deny that I’m capable and experienced.”

“But would you really want to do that for the rest your life?” Essie asked.

“No – I’d much rather live happily with Joe, Laurie, and Laurette. But not nervously – always wondering what could happen that night. And Joe’s a lovely man, but I really never need to see him again with his clothes off.”

“Sometimes, Essie feels the same way about me,” Herbert dead-panned. And we all laughed.

“No – you look wonderful in your bathing outfit,” Herbert’s wife quickly assured him. “And you know it.”

“Thank you, darling,” Herbert obliged. “And so do you.” Then he crouched towards the table like Groucho Marx, wiggling his spoon as a cigar. “But how you got into my bathing outfit, I’ll never know.”

And we laughed again.

“I have what may be an odd question,” Dr. Gildersleeve soon went on. “Has your staff been in the courtroom throughout the trial?”

Ella immediately smiled. “Joe and I discussed what to do about that,” she admitted, “because we knew we’d have to explain very private details and didn’t want to embarrass anyone besides us. We also didn’t want to lose our staff because they felt they could never look at us again.”

“What did you decide?” Howard asked.

“We talked with them all one evening and explained that the trial was going to be very painful for us personally and that they were going to be asked to be there. But we also explained that our lawyers had been granted exceptions, so they only had to be there on the day that they testified. Fortunately, that was narrowed to just this afternoon. So Rosa stayed an extra night in the city, and Ray brought them all in during recess.”

“Then they have no idea how much you’ve been embarrassed?” Florrie asked.

“I hope not,” Ella told her. “And we still have no idea what’s waiting for Joe.”

“Steuer wouldn’t do to him what Lewinson did to you,” I insisted. “He has more tact.”

“I have no idea what Max will do to win this case,” Ella hedged.

“You’d let him humiliate Joe?” Herbert asked.

“Joe and I have talked about that. And he said that while he was appalled by what had happened to me, he didn’t expect to be handled more fairly. So he’s prepared for the same.”

“At least he’s been warned,” my mother allowed. “It was more than you expected – certainly more than I did.”

“That’s because you hadn’t been seeing my doctors for the past four-and-a-half months. In the beginning at least, my body seemed more theirs than mine. And if you think I was keeping what I went through from our staff, then consider how much I’ve kept from you – no matter what you’ve heard during the trial.”

“I’m sorry it’s been that difficult,” my father quickly offered, and Ella was quiet for a moment.

“I’ve gained so much more than the dignity I’ve lost,” she finally allowed. “But – as I’ve said – I won’t let that go on.”

“No woman or man should have to,” Dr. Gildersleeve reinforced.

“Yes,” Ella agreed. “Though it hasn’t been pleasant for Joe, either. And it certainly isn’t what he expected – or hoped for – in a second marriage.”

“Do you think he’d risk another?” Essie asked. “Surely, it’s past consideration.”

“Probably not as long as Laurie is living at home and I’m nearby to help – and that will be another ten years. As for me – well, even if I’m fortunate enough to find another man who’s interested...”

“And there have been several,” Mama reminded us, before turning to her sister. “You have to admit that.”

“And there were reasons for keeping them away,” Ella replied. “And can you imagine me marrying one of them now, after Joe?”

“If you still want to raise children,” Herbert suggested.

“I’m afraid that’s over,” Ella ended. “If I really had all of Joe’s money, perhaps – maybe I’d adopt an orphan or two. But I wouldn’t try that without his resources. As for having children for the first time at my age – well, we all remember what happened to Anna.”

“Poor Anna,” my mother seconded. “And it wasn’t even her first.”

“Other women haven’t been as unfortunate,” Dr. Gildersleeve gently pointed out.

Again Ella smiled. “But I’m afraid you’re seeing me at my bravest. Besides, I have Laurie, and he’s a blessing.”

“You probably wouldn’t be able to match him and Joe, anyway,” Florrie admitted.

“No – and I’ve always been very easily happy. All I ever wanted in a marriage was a man who could make me as comfortable as I was making him.”

“There’s me,” Howard offered grinning. “I’m a simple guy.”

“Who’s promised,” I immediately pressed. “So don’t go volunteer.”