Page 42 of Dear Henry, Love Edith
“Now you want to speak about a real tragedy,” Abbott said, ignoring Steve. “Jayne Mansfield.”
“Oh.” Costello made the sign of the cross. “You’re right. That was a tragedy. No joking about that.”
“Or Grace Kelly.”
“Oh, Grace. Beautiful Grace. Who could ever forget her inRear Window?”
“Or Jimmy Stewart.”
“Yeah. Wait. What?” Costello smacked Abbott with his hat. “Jimmy Stewart didn’t die in a car crash.”
“I didn’t say Jimmy Stewart died in a car crash.”
“Well, then why did you say ‘Jimmy Stewart’? We were talking about actors who died in car crashes.”
“We were. Then we started talking aboutRear Window. Jimmy Stewart’s inRear Window.”
“So what if he’s inRear Window? Everybody knows he’s inRear Window. But do you know how many combat missions he flew during World WarII? Eh?” Costello replaced his hat and made a show of straightening it just so. “Bet you don’t know that one.”
“Why would I know that one? You’d have to be a weirdo to know that one.”
“Twenty.”
“My point exactly.”
Steve pounded his fist on the hood of the car. “The medical tent! Where is it?”
Both men stopped talking and stared at Steve. Stared at his fist. The hood. Steve again. “You feeling all right, buddy?” Abbott asked. “You’re looking a little peaked. Doesn’t he look a little peaked?”
“Definitely peaked,” Costello said. “You ask me, he should go to the medical tent.”
Abbott pointed down the street. “Head that way, pal. Henry’s girl will fix you right up.”
“Edith,” Steve said, the name barely making it past his ground jaw. “Her name is Edith Sherman. And she’s notHenry’s girl. She’s my sister-in—”
“Well, hey, hey! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
“How about that?” Both men spoke over each other, shaking his hand.
“I didn’t know Edith had family in town.”
“Isn’t that wonderful?”
“That’s wonderful.”
“Your sister’s quite a dancer.”
“And a real beaut.”
“Speaking of beauts...”
They returned their attention to the classic cars.
All right. Looked like this show was over. Henry pressed away from the brick storefront, ready to confront Steve and find out what he wanted from Edith. But a hand latched on to his wrist.
“There you are,” Peg said. “We have an emergency. Here.”She shoved a paintbrush dripping with white paint into his hand. “Go fix it. Now.”
“Fix what?”
