Page 199 of Naughty Nelle

He reluctantly repeats Grimm’s words. Anger is rising in Winnie like bread in an oven. I’m worried. Where’s Grimm going with these questions?

“John, do you think your wife ever got tired of taking care of your children?”

“I don’t know,” he mumbles. Grimm’s wearing him down.

“Why don’t you know?”

“Because I never asked her.”

Winnie leaps up, her freckles flickering with fury. “You’ve never asked me anything about my life!”

“Winifred, can you elaborate?” asks Grimm.

“All he’s ever done is come home with his filthy hands, demand dinner, and go to sleep!” she shouts with rage I’ve never witnessed before.

“Is that true, John?” asks Grimm.

John stares down at his large, leathery hands. “Yes,” he says finally.

“How do you think your wife feels about your behavior?”

“I guess she’s not happy. That’s why she’s here.”

“Yes, John, that’s one of the reasons she’s here. Why else is she here?”

“Because she’s as fat as a cow!” blurts out Sasperilla. “Anyone with eyes can see that.”

Winnie is verging on tears. I want to kill Sasperilla.

John gazes at his wife with a mixture of pity and disgust. “She overeats.”

“Why do you think she overeats?” asks Grimm.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“I eat because you never pay attention to me!” shouts Winnie.

“John, your wife is an emotional overeater. Food comforts her. It’s a substitution for love.”

John says nothing. Grimm perseveres.

“Why do you think she tried to eat your children?”

What! She actually tried to eat her own children?

Winnie’s face contorts with pain. John’s turns ashen. Thunderstruck, we all gape with shock. Except for Sasperilla, who’s got I-told-you-so written all over her.

“Leave Hansel and Gretel out of this!” Collapsing back onto her chair, Winnie bursts into a tempest of tears.

I feel painfully helpless.

“Ha!” snickers Sasperilla. “It’s no wonder she’s not fatter. I bet eating plump kids can really pack on the pounds.”

Elz is horrified. “Sassy, that’s a terrible thing to say.”

Sasperilla huffs. “Can’t anyone take a joke around this place?”

“Too bad you don’t have enough fat on your bones to whet Winnie’s appetite,” chortles Hook.

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