was waiting in the living room, reading, when he came in. It
was late. He stood in the doorway. She was watching him over the top of her book.
Come here, she said. I want to look at you.
Why?
I want to see what you look like when you come in so late after being out with her
all night.
It’s not all night.
Don’t be literal. You know what I mean.
He went over and stood before her. She studied him, a tall skinny thin-faced boy,
his hair a mess.
You smell like her, she said. Don’t you.
No.
Yes, you smell like her. You have her odor. I hope you’re not being foolish about
this. I hope you’re not going to get this girl pregnant.
She’s on the pill.
Is she. Did she tell you that?
Yes.
Do you believe her?
Yes.
Well, we can hope she’s not a little liar. Do you love her?
It’s none of your business.
Do you or not?
Yes, I do.
That’s good. I wouldn’t want it all to be for nothing. Just sex.
Mother. What are you doing?
You’ll get tired of her. Or she you. It doesn’t last. Love doesn’t last. You look
like you’re losing weight. Are you?
No.
Well go to bed. You must be exhausted.
12
A T THE WINDOW sitting in his chair Dad Lewis was awake in the late morning when the Johnson women
drove up and stopped in front of Berta May’s house and got out of the car in their
summer dresses. They went up the walk onto the porch and knocked and stood waiting.
Dad turned his head and called toward the kitchen.
Yes? Mary said. Do you want something?
Would you come out here?
She came out through the dining room. Is something the matter?
They’re over at Berta May’s.
Who is?
Willa and Alene.
Mary looked out the window. The Johnson women were still standing on the porch.
What are they doing over there? Dad said. I thought they’d be coming here again.
Maybe they’re just paying a call.
Berta May came and drew back the lace curtain at the front window and peered out and
opened the door.
I didn’t hear you knock. Will you come in?
Is this a bad time to come? Willa said.
No. I don’t guess it is. Is there something I can help you with? Come in, please.
They stepped inside. Alene looked at her mother and said, We just wondered if we might
take Alice out for lunch today.
Take her out for lunch.
Yes. If you wouldn’t mind.
Well, I don’t know. You only want her. Is that what you’re saying?
Oh no, we’d like you to come too if you want to.
She looked at them. No. I see now. I’m afraid I’m getting slow. You thought you might
take her for a treat. Is that it?
If you wouldn’t mind.
I don’t mind. But we’ll have to ask her.
Is she here?
Out in the backyard. I’ll call her.
She went out and stood at the kitchen door and called the girl in and they came back
together to the living room. The girl was tanned and freckled, in shorts and T-shirt.
Her grandmother stood with her arm around her. They want to ask you something. Go
ahead and ask her, if you’d care to.
Willa smiled at Alice. Do you remember meeting us next door when we were visiting
Dad and Mary Lewis?
Yes.
We wanted to know if we could take you out for lunch today.
The girl looked up at her grandmother’s big red face.
If you want to, Berta May said. It’s up to you.
For a little excursion, Alene said. Just the three of us.
Isn’t Grandma coming?
No, I’m staying here. I got too much to do right here.
We’d bring you back home as soon as you would want.
Where to?
Where would we go to eat?
Yes.
We thought the Wagon Wheel Café out on the highway. Have you been there?
I don’t think so.
You haven’t, Berta May said. We go to Shattuck’s if we eat out.
I guess I can go, Alice said.
Then you better go change your clothes. You can’t go out in public to eat with these
ladies looking like that.
What should I put on?
You decide.
The girl looked at them again and went back into the hall to her bedroom. The women
stood and talked, waiting for her.
Then she came back in
was late. He stood in the doorway. She was watching him over the top of her book.
Come here, she said. I want to look at you.
Why?
I want to see what you look like when you come in so late after being out with her
all night.
It’s not all night.
Don’t be literal. You know what I mean.
He went over and stood before her. She studied him, a tall skinny thin-faced boy,
his hair a mess.
You smell like her, she said. Don’t you.
No.
Yes, you smell like her. You have her odor. I hope you’re not being foolish about
this. I hope you’re not going to get this girl pregnant.
She’s on the pill.
Is she. Did she tell you that?
Yes.
Do you believe her?
Yes.
Well, we can hope she’s not a little liar. Do you love her?
It’s none of your business.
Do you or not?
Yes, I do.
That’s good. I wouldn’t want it all to be for nothing. Just sex.
Mother. What are you doing?
You’ll get tired of her. Or she you. It doesn’t last. Love doesn’t last. You look
like you’re losing weight. Are you?
No.
Well go to bed. You must be exhausted.
12
A T THE WINDOW sitting in his chair Dad Lewis was awake in the late morning when the Johnson women
drove up and stopped in front of Berta May’s house and got out of the car in their
summer dresses. They went up the walk onto the porch and knocked and stood waiting.
Dad turned his head and called toward the kitchen.
Yes? Mary said. Do you want something?
Would you come out here?
She came out through the dining room. Is something the matter?
They’re over at Berta May’s.
Who is?
Willa and Alene.
Mary looked out the window. The Johnson women were still standing on the porch.
What are they doing over there? Dad said. I thought they’d be coming here again.
Maybe they’re just paying a call.
Berta May came and drew back the lace curtain at the front window and peered out and
opened the door.
I didn’t hear you knock. Will you come in?
Is this a bad time to come? Willa said.
No. I don’t guess it is. Is there something I can help you with? Come in, please.
They stepped inside. Alene looked at her mother and said, We just wondered if we might
take Alice out for lunch today.
Take her out for lunch.
Yes. If you wouldn’t mind.
Well, I don’t know. You only want her. Is that what you’re saying?
Oh no, we’d like you to come too if you want to.
She looked at them. No. I see now. I’m afraid I’m getting slow. You thought you might
take her for a treat. Is that it?
If you wouldn’t mind.
I don’t mind. But we’ll have to ask her.
Is she here?
Out in the backyard. I’ll call her.
She went out and stood at the kitchen door and called the girl in and they came back
together to the living room. The girl was tanned and freckled, in shorts and T-shirt.
Her grandmother stood with her arm around her. They want to ask you something. Go
ahead and ask her, if you’d care to.
Willa smiled at Alice. Do you remember meeting us next door when we were visiting
Dad and Mary Lewis?
Yes.
We wanted to know if we could take you out for lunch today.
The girl looked up at her grandmother’s big red face.
If you want to, Berta May said. It’s up to you.
For a little excursion, Alene said. Just the three of us.
Isn’t Grandma coming?
No, I’m staying here. I got too much to do right here.
We’d bring you back home as soon as you would want.
Where to?
Where would we go to eat?
Yes.
We thought the Wagon Wheel Café out on the highway. Have you been there?
I don’t think so.
You haven’t, Berta May said. We go to Shattuck’s if we eat out.
I guess I can go, Alice said.
Then you better go change your clothes. You can’t go out in public to eat with these
ladies looking like that.
What should I put on?
You decide.
The girl looked at them again and went back into the hall to her bedroom. The women
stood and talked, waiting for her.
Then she came back in
Similar Books
