Peter picked up the glass and drained it. "And you wonder why I don't look forward to these little family get-togethers."
"Yes," said Theresa. "Family is so inconvenient for you. Except when you can spend their pension checks."
Peter looked back and forth between her and John Paul. "You aren't even on a pension. Either of you. You're not
even fifty yet."
Theresa just looked at him like he was stupid. She knew that look drove him crazy.
But Peter refused to bite. He simply went back to eating his lunch.
His very incuriosity was proof enough to Theresa that he knew exactly what she was talking about.
"You mind telling me what this is about?" asked John Paul.
"Why, Andrew's pension," said Theresa. "Bean thinks that Peter's been stealing it."
"So naturally," said Peter with his mouth full, "Mother believes him."
"Oh, haven't you, then?" asked Theresa.
"There's a difference between investing and stealing."
"Not when you invest it in Hegemony bonds. Especially when a circle of huts in Amazonas has a higher bond rating than you."
"Investing in the future of world peace is a sound investment."
"Investing in your future," said Theresa. "Which is more than you did for Andrew. But now that Bean knows, you can be sure that source of funding will dry up very quickly."
"How sad for Bean," said Peter. "Since that was what was paying for his and Petra's search."
"It wasn't until you decided it was," said John Paul. "Are you really that petty?"
"If Bean decides unilaterally to cut off a funding source, then I have to reduce spending somewhere. Since spending on his personal quest has nothing to do with Hegemony goals, it seems only fair that the meddler's pet project be the first to go. It's all moot anyway. Bean has no claim on Ender's pension. He can't touch it."
"He's not going to touch it himself," said Theresa. "He doesn't want the money."
"So he'll turn it over to you? What will you do, keep it in an interest-bearing debit account, the way you do with your own money?" Peter laughed.
"He seems unrepentant," said John Paul.
"That's the problem with Peter," said Theresa.
"Only the one?" said Peter.
"Either it doesn't matter or it's the end of the world. No in between for him. Absolute confidence or utter despair."
"I haven't despaired in years. Well, weeks."
"Just tell me, Peter," said Theresa. "Is there no one you won't exploit to accomplish your purposes?"
"Since my purpose is saving the human race from itself," said Peter, "the answer is no." He wiped his mouth and dropped his napkin on his plate. "Thanks for the lovely lunch. I do enjoy our little times together."
He left.
John Paul leaned back in his chair. "Well. I think I'll tell Bean that if he needs any next-of-kin signatures for whatever he's doing with Andrew's pension, I'll be happy to help."
"If I know Julian Delphiki, no help will be needed."