"Oh, Mrs...."
'No. Trevor." she said sharply. "I don't need to fool myself about anything at my age. You should know that better than anyone."
"yes, ma'am."
"Trevor's been with this family for nearly fifty years."
"Forty-nine years. seven months tomorrow," he said smiling at me.
"So I put up with his bad habits and tolerate his inadequacies." she added, and he widened his smile. "Anyway. I've given it all a good think. Fate put you on that road out there as clearly as it made that poor child deaf. You didn't ask for it she didn't ask for it. My husband used to say you play the deck you're dealt, and that's that. You're an orphan now, and Echo ain't much more than one herself."
"Oh, Mrs. Westington," Trevor said. "No one can call that girl an orphan. Not with what you do for her and all."
"When I need a compliment. Trevor, I'll call on you," Mrs. Westington said.
Trevor shook his head and went back to eating.
"What I'm saying here is you're welcome to stay on. I can see where you'd be of real service," she added, nodding at Echo, whose eyes were on me again. "Of course. I'll provide for your schooling needs and all else until you get it in you that you have to go on somewhere."
I looked at Echo. She seemed to understand what Mrs. Westington was saying.
"I don't know what to say." I said.
"You just say thank you and move in." she replied. "I saw how much you wanted to go live with that cousin."
I glanced at Trevor. He was smiling but keeping his head down.
"You can be of great help to me as regards Echo," she added. "It won't take you long to learn how to sign. As I told you. I have a good tutor for her. but I realize she is isolated out here and could use some young people companionship now. Maybe this tutor can help you with whatever you called it."
"High school equivalency."
"Yes, that. Well, go on and eat. You don't want it to get cold while you think." she said.
She immediately began to talk to Trevor about some of the things they needed done on the property and the house. Afterward. Echo and I helped clear the table and do the dishes. When that was completed, she took me into the living room to show me her books. She was proud of her library. and I was impressed with how much she had already read. Some of the titles were ones I had been assigned in high school.
Next to the books on the shelf was a picture of Echo and a young, good-looking black-haired man with Asian features who had his arm around her shoulders.
"Who?" I signed to her, and pointed to the picture.
She replied in her language. It took me a few times to comprehend that she was saying he was her tutor.
"His name's Tyler Monahan," Mrs. Westington said from the living room doorway. I didn't know how long she had been standing there watching us. "I'm lucky to have him. He worked at a school for the disabled in Los Angeles before he came back here to help with his own family after his father died. He's a loyal son and gave up his work in Los Angeles to help his mother with their sauce business. Echo there provides him with a chance to keep his hand in his real life's work,
"You'll meet him in a couple of days," she said.
I glanced at the photo again.
The phone had rung while Echo and I were in the living room.
"Just got off the phone with the police. Your uncle's death is ruled caused by acute cirrhosis, as suspected. Your lawyer's already contacted them and set up the arrangements for the funeral, which isn't much. He left orders to be cremated. We can attend a quick ceremony day after tomorrow at eleven."
I didn't say anything. I lowered my head.
"I told Trevor to drive that big vehicle around back. The lawyer's seeing about all that. too."
"Thank you," I said.
Mrs. Westington went through a series of signing with Echo, and from the way she reacted. I concluded she was telling her all about me, my uncle, and what had happened. She finished by explaining I might be staying here with them. It brought a wide, hopeful smile to her face.