The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides [177]
And then, in October, Alwyn found Leonard’s lithium and things became even more complicated. After Phyllida flew back to Boston, and from Boston back to New Jersey, Madeleine waited for the inevitable phone call. A week later, in early November, it came.
“I’m so glad I had a chance to visit the famous Pilgrim Lake Laboratory! It was terribly impressive.”
It was the excessive cheer in Phyllida’s voice that was worrisome. Madeleine braced herself.
“And it was so nice of Leonard to take time out of his schedule to show us around his lab. I’ve been giving a little tutorial down here to all my friends. I call it ‘Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Yeast but Were Afraid to Ask.’” Phyllida tittered with pleasure. Then, clearing her throat, she changed the topic. “I thought you might want to be apprised of developments chez Higgins.”
“I don’t.”
“Things are much better, I’m happy to report. Ally has moved out of the Ritz and back home with Blake. Thanks to the new nanny—which your father and I are paying for—there has been a cessation of hostilities.”
“I said I don’t care,” Madeleine said.
“Oh, Maddy,” Phyllida lightly scolded.
“Well, I don’t. Ally can get divorced for all I care.”
“I know you’re angry with your sister. And you have every right to be.”
“Ally and Blake don’t even like each other.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Phyllida said. “They have their differences, like any married couple. But they’re from the same background, fundamentally, and they understand each other. Ally’s lucky to have Blake. He’s a very stable person.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just that.”
“It’s an interesting choice of words, though.”
Phyllida sighed over the line. “We need to have this talk but I don’t know if now is the right time.”
“Why not?”
“Well, it’s a serious discussion.”
“This is only happening because Ally’s a snoop. Otherwise, you wouldn’t know anything.”
“That’s true. But the fact is I do know.”
“Didn’t you like Leonard? Wasn’t he nice?”
“He was very nice.”
“Did he seem like there was something wrong with him?”
“Not exactly, no. But I’ve been learning a lot about manic-depressive illness in the past week. You know the Turners’ daughter, Lily?”
“Lily Turner is a druggie.”
“Well, she’s certainly on drugs now. And will be for the rest of her life.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that manic depression is a chronic condition. People have it their entire lives. There’s no cure. People go in and out of the hospital, they have breakdowns, they can’t hold a job. And their families go along for the ride. Sweetheart? Madeleine? Are you there?”
“Yes,” Madeleine said.
“I know you know all this. But I want you to think about what it would mean to marry a person with a … with a mental illness. Not to mention raise a family with him.”
“Who says I’m going to marry Leonard?”
“Well, I don’t know. But I’m just saying, if you are.”
“Say Leonard had another disease, Mummy. Say he had diabetes or something. Would you be acting the same way about that?”
“Diabetes is a dreadful disease!” Phyllida cried.
“But you wouldn’t care if my boyfriend needed insulin to stay healthy. That would be O.K., right? It wouldn’t seem like some kind of moral failing.”
“I didn’t say anything about morality.”
“You didn’t have to!”
“I know you think I’m being unfair. But I’m just trying to protect you. It’s a very difficult thing to spend your life with someone unstable like that. I read an article by a woman who was married to a manic-depressive, and it literally curled my hair. I’m going to send it to you.”
“Don’t.”
“I’m going to!”
“I’ll throw it away!”
“Which amounts to sticking your head in the sand.”
“Is this why you’re calling?” Madeleine said. “To lecture me?”
“No,” Phyllida said. “Actually,