“Oh, that is so nice of you, but I don’t deserve—”
“But I’ve always appreciated it, don’t you think, Lily?”
“Oh, yes, indeed you have, and it’s been such an encouragement—”
“Oh, well, say, I’m just tickled to death to have you say that, Lily.” A firmer pressure on her frail hand. “Do you like to have me like your music?”
“Oh, yes.”
“But do you like to have me like you?”
“Oh, yes. Of course, we’re all working together—oh, like sister and brother—”
“Lily! Don’t you think we might ever be, uh, don’t you think we could be just a little closer than sister and brother?”
“Oh, you’re just being mean! How could you ever like poor little me when you belong to Sharon?”
“What do you mean? Me belong to Sharon? Say! I admire her tremendously, but I’m absolutely free, you can bet your life on that, and just because I’ve always been kinda shy of you—you have such a kinda flower-like beauty, you might say, that no man, no, not the coarsest, would ever dare to ruffle it—and because I’ve stood back, sorta feeling like I was protecting you, maybe you think I haven’t appreciated all your qualities!”