Chapter 22
Her Mother Moving
On the restored film, Celia's mother laughed when she missed the music.
She was neither martyr nor secret genius. She was a forty-four-year-old woman enjoying three minutes in a place she later left. The ordinariness released Celia from turning her into a lesson.
For the exhibition Celia contributed the blue-and-yellow ownership sticker from the walnut chair.
Her label read: AN OBJECT TWO PEOPLE REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
Martin read it during installation. "Do we sell the chair?"
"Yes."
"And the house?"
The court had not yet voided the disputed sale. If it did, Celia could keep the house alone.
She realised she did not want it. Refusing Martin's plan did not require preserving its opposite forever.
Before she could tell him, the hearing date arrived.
It was opening night.