Norma's voice dripped with indifference. "He's a man I support. What opinion could he possibly have?"
"Besides, you're down one kidney. You need to be extra careful."
"Doctor, I'll take all those supplements you mentioned. And throw in some candied fruit—he doesn't like bitter things. Something sweet for him to snack on."
"Thanks, Norma. Maybe... get some for my brother too? I don't want him overthinking."
Percival spoke, but I heard the contempt in Norma's reply.
"Why waste the money?"
"Besides, he can stomach any kind of bitterness. He doesn't need it."
"Last year, when those two fat pigs at the school got sick, he insisted on taking them all the way to town to see a vet."
"I didn't bother with him, so he dragged that flatbed cart off by himself. Wore himself out completely. If you ask me, he brought it all on himself."
"The pigs were sick—just slaughter them and be done with it. Why go through all that trouble?"
Percival let out a snort of laughter.
"Those two pigs had to weigh at least two hundred pounds each, right? Gotta hand it to my brother—he's really something else."
"Still, good thing he hauled them off to the vet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have touched meat from sickly pigs!"