Read Online Fortune's Hand by Belva Plain - Free Book Online Page A

favorite, too-expensive restaurants. They had window-shopped, bought a book she had been looking for, and strolled in the park. The wintry afternoon was melancholy. Dead, soggy leaves lay on the sidewalk, and the city seemed to be staying at home, out of the wet, gray mist. Melancholy overlay all the other emotions at battle within Robb.
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
    â€œIt’s hard to explain. Maybe—well, you haven’t said anything real. Maybe that’s what I’m feeling.”
    â€œReal” was plans and dates. And it was true that he had mentioned none of these. He had spoken only in generalities, all pleasant enough but not what she wanted and what she deserved.
    Trying to stifle his irritation and not succeeding, he replied, “I’m sorry I haven’t been entertaining.”
    â€œYou’re being awfully mean to me, Robb. You know that’s not what I meant.”
    â€œWell, it sounded that way.”
    â€œPerhaps I ought to go home,” Lily said. “I had planned to stay over till Sunday, but perhaps you want me to leave now.”
    â€œOf course I don’t want you to, but it’s your decision. If you’re not satisfied—”
    He wasn’t going to beg her. Maybe it would be better if she did go. He wasn’t doing her much good, although he had tried.
    They walked back to collect her things, after which he took her to the bus. It was already evening; rain hadbegun, and it would be a dreary night by the time she reached home. He was filled with contrition. Lord, don’t let her cry, he begged.
    She would not speak to him. He helped her onto the bus and waited at the curb for its departure. The door had been shut, so it was too late for him to leap on at the last minute to tell her—tell her something. He tried to get her attention, but she was staring straight ahead, although she must have seen his frantic wave. When the bus lurched away, he stood looking after it, then down at the dirty green swirl of oil in the puddle it left behind.
    â€œSo that’s what happened,” he said to Ellen.
    â€œThe whole story?”
    â€œShe phoned me the next morning. She apologized—she apologizing to me! She should have understood that I wasn’t feeling well, she said, and should have tried to cheer me up.”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    Ellen’s tone at the other end of the telephone was hopeless, so that he imagined her throwing up her hands.
    â€œI’m supposed to be going there for Christmas. I’ll have to do it then.”
    â€œOh Robb, you can’t, you can’t possibly. You would ruin Christmas forever, as long as either one of you lives.”
    â€œI wish I could go to sleep and find when I wake up that it’s all over, that Lily isn’t wretched and you and Iare happy. Let me hang up now. I want to sit here and think.”
    â€œWhat happened? Did somebody die?” asked Eddy as he pushed the door open.
    Robb looked up from the sofa, where he had been sitting with his head in his hands.
    â€œYou left the door ajar, and I saw you. What’s up?”
    â€œJust tired, I guess.”
    â€œCome on, you look like hell. It’s as dim as a funeral parlor in here. Turn the lamp on and tell me what’s wrong.”
    â€œEddy, you don’t want to hear it. It’s too miserable.”
    â€œWhat? Somebody’s got terminal cancer or something?”
    â€œNot that, but almost as bad. I’m in love with Ellen.”
    Eddy whistled. “What? I thought you didn’t like her.”
    â€œI didn’t want to like her. I fought against it,” Robb said grimly. “I denied it. But it had already happened, probably at my first sight of her.”
    â€œAnd to her, too?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do?”
    â€œThat’s the question. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. It’s