Rules of the Road

Jenna pulls up outside the St. Louis Beauregard hotel the following evening, and Mrs. Gladstone gets them each their own room. Just as Jenna is enjoying her break from the constant company of Mrs. Gladstone, the phone rings. In a panic, Mrs. Gladstone tells Jenna that Elden has decided to join them tomorrow to discuss a business opportunity. Mrs. Gladstone wants to get Harry Bender’s advice before talking to Elden, but since she has already taken strong pain medication for her hip, the job of calling Harry falls to Jenna. Harry is understanding and explains that Jenna will have to “‘diffuse the situation because that boy’s coming to town with bad news for sure’” (95). Jenna panics at the suggestion that she meet with Elden instead of Mrs. Gladstone, but Harry calms her down and tells her, “‘All you've got to do, no matter what old Elden says, is to smile and tell him that you absolutely understand, but his mother can't see anyone today” (95). The following morning Jenna relays the conversation she had with Harry to Mrs. Gladstone and then goes to the restaurant to meet Elden. Elden arrives 15 minutes late and is furious when Jenna calmly tells him his mother’s hip is too bad for her to join him for breakfast.