All That Glitters (Landry 3)

and I have to be understanding. One night he snapped at me and said, 'I'm not as lucky as your brother. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth so I would inherit oil-rich land. I've got to work for a

living.'

"I told him Paul works for a living. I don't know

anyone who works harder. He doesn't take anything

for granted, right, Ruby?"

"Paul thinks there are twenty-five hours in

every day, not twenty-four," I said, smiling.

"Yet somehow he manages to keep the romance

in your marriage, doesn't he? A person would just

have to look at you two together and he or she would

see how devoted you are to each other and how much

you care about each other's feelings. No matter how

hard Paul works, he always has time for you, doesn't

he? And you don't mind his being away so much,

right?"

I shifted my eyes away quickly so she couldn't

read the truth in them and then I folded my arms

across my chest in Grandmere Catherine's way and

filled my face with deep thought. She waited

anxiously for my reply, her hands twisting in her lap. "Yes," I finally replied, "but maybe that's

because I'm so involved in my art."

She nodded and sighed.

"That's what James said. He said I should find

something to do so I don't dote upon him so much, but

I wanted to dote on him and our marriage. That's why

I got married!" she exclaimed. "The truth is," she

continued, dabbing at her cheeks with the

handkerchief, "the passion is already gone."

"Oh, Jeanne, I'm sure that's not so."

"We haven't made love for two straight weeks,"