Inheritance by Judith Michael Page A

long? How long have you been thinking about it?"
    "Longer than you can imagine. Years. Why can't you just go along and not ask questions? I'd do the same for you. If you told me you had to do something and I had it in my power to help you, I'd do it, no questions asked."
    "I have to like myself," Laura said coldly. "I want to go to college and be respectable, and not sit widi my back to a restaurant because I'm afraid somebody will notice me."
    Ben winced. Clay scowled at Laura. "You never mentioned living with them or getting money for college."
    "You were too excited about robbing them. I wanted to see what Ben said."
    "You wanted to pull this out from under me." Clay's voice rose. "My whole plan. You wanted to talk Ben into killing it, and you didn't even tell me."
    **What would you have said if I did tell you?"
    **What Ben said. We have to do it."
    "So what difference does it make that I didn't tell you?"

    Inheritance
    "I had a right to know what you were going to do! We're in this together!"
    "You're in it alone! I told you, I don't want to do it!"
    "Stop squabbling," Ben ordered, "and keep your voices down. Laura, I'll do everything I can to help you, but I've got to do this, first. Can't you understand? It's like getting something off my chest. Once I've done it, I can concentrate on other things, like getting you to college."
    Slowly, Laura shook her head. "I don't want you to keep stealing to give me money for college. That's what you'd do, isn't it? You've always stolen and you like the excitement, so you wouldn't even try something else."
    "What, for instance?"
    "Like a better job, for instance! Aren't you ever going to think about that? Or about what happens to Clay?"
    "What about me?" Clay demanded.
    "He thinks you're wonderful," she said to Ben. "But what's so wonderful about a guy who spends his whole life being a waiter part of the time and breaking into places the other part? And feeling scared every time there's a policeman around? Why don't you quit all that and get a better job? You'd probably have to work harder; so big deal! Don't you give a shit— don't you care what happens to us? You think we like the way we live?"
    "I like it fine!" said Clay hoarsely. Everything was happening too fast; the conversation was getting out of hand. "It's fine; why don't you just shut up!"
    "I can't get a better job," Ben said to Laura. "I never went to college; I haven't any skills—^"
    "How do you know? You're the smartest person I ever met; how do you know what you could do if you tried? You could be an executive! Or something like that. But you won't even try! Well, the hell with it. I don't care what you do; I'm tadking about me, and / don't want to steal anymore! It's not exciting or fun like it used to be . . . and I'd go to jail if I got caught again—it would be a second offense—and I won't take the diance. I don't want to live on your stealing, either; that's ahnost as bad as doing it myself. And I don't want to rob the Salingers! I'm asking you, Ben, please, please, don't rob them. I like them; they make me feel nice, and I want to stay with them as long as I can."

    Judith Michael
    She saw the hurt and anger in Ben's eyes and she felt she was being torn apart. "Don't be unhappy, Ben, please, I love you and you've been wonderful to us, but I've got a chance to change things, to change me, and maybe I'll never have it again! Owen asked me to write to him and visit him when I'm in college—he's my friend!—and I don't want to risk losing him, losing all of them . . . / don't want them hurt!"
    They were silent, looking away from each other, and the talk and laughter behind them seemed louder and happier than before. The waiter brought coffee and Ben drank his black, hot and steaming. Laura, who had decided she should drink it because Allison did, poured in cream and sugar and then sipped it, telling herself it tasted good. Clay, watching Ben, drank his black, making faces as it scalded his tongue.
    "I'll