Beverly stood behind her, eyes rimmed red, playing the part of the wronged little wife to perfection.
"Mom, Thaddeus won money yesterday and flat-out refused to let me hold onto it for him. I was just worried he'd go off the rails and start keeping some woman on the side..." Beverly sniffled between words.
Listening to her nearly made me laugh out loud.
That was when Great-Grandpa's voice rumbled to life again.
"Boy, quit wasting your breath on her! Fortune's riding with you now. Lay your cards on the table! By the time today's over, she'll wish she'd never been born!"
I narrowed my eyes, then walked over and dropped onto the living room couch. Lit a cigarette.
"You know what, Mom? Beverly's right. I have gone bad."
I blew a slow ring of smoke and watched Beverly through the haze. "So let's get a divorce."
The room went dead silent.
"You... what did you just say?" Beverly's eyes went wide.
"I said divorce." I gave her a flat look.
"Thaddeus! Have you lost your mind? You get a little money and suddenly you want to throw away the wife who stood by you? I'm telling you right now, not a chance in hell!"
Mrs. Fox snapped out of her shock and lunged at me, nails first, screeching like a banshee.