“Thousands?” Mary whispered. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach, thinking what she could have done with that money. The car. A decent apartment. “Oh, God, I'm such an i***t!”
“No,” Evey said sternly. “You're not. And I don't want to hear that sort of nonsense ever coming out of your mouth again. Ignorance is not stupidity. Just because you don't know something doesn't mean you can't learn.
“You were ignorant about one piece of algebra a few minutes ago. Now you're not. You were ignorant about deductions for the girls. Now you're not. And when you have to file your taxes again next year, I bet you won't make the same mistake again, will you?”
“But what about all that money I left behind?” Her voice was almost a wail.
“Well, honey,” Evey drawled, “for all that I complain about th
