she 'd gotten me into this mess in the first place . at exactly the point where he hit the rocks and everything here started . `` what will be expected of me ? '' `` i 'm hardly getting any younger , you know . she cracked herself up , as if this were the funniest thing . bells smiled at me when i covered her up . `` i said you had the best chance , but we can do this another way , jo . but he likes to work his hours and go home , she said . 