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 "You miss Mommy, don't you", murmurs Chelsea in Dorothy's ear. Both women appear pale, distressed and forlorn.

"I miss her terribly.  We both miss her", says Dorothy,.calmed to a sustained whimper.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" say I lamely to the two vulnerable sad women.

"Can you put the candies in a bowl", says Chelsea.  "There should be plenty for everyone."

"Yes", echoes Dorothy, "Plenty for everyone."

And I find in the buffet a big cut crystal bowl into which I dump the candies, where they glisten in their individual foil wrappers, purple, green, blue, orange and gold

"Come sleep in the house tonight, Dorothy.  I don't want you to be alone tonight.  I don't want to be alone tonight."

"Yes, that should be fine, Chelsea", she says, now composing herself.  "We'll both sleep tonight in your grandmother's house."

"Candy"? says Chelsea, placing a gold wrapped bonbon into the open hand of her grieving stepmother...