had reflected that fact. It wasn't what he said, particularly, but the way he used his size and his face to emphasize the point.
What happened afterward surprised him, her coming to the truck and attempting to chat with him instead of staying to talk with Dale Russell. Either she didn't care, or it was good strategy on her part. Eris had seen women do anything short of a back flip to get Dale Russell's attention. The younger girls were more his style, however, so Eris had been further surprised at his mention of the dance to Madeleine.
Not that he could blame Russell. Even while he tried to avoid her Eris’s thoughts escaped to her flawless skin and unusual brown-green eyes. When he stood beside her he felt very tall and awkward and yes, ugly, though a part of him hated Russell for saying so. It was the same part that was envious.
Eris had a girlfriend in college; she had graduated first in her class and was now an astrophysicist. He thought of her sometimes, mostly when he missed having someone to be with. The romance hadn't exactly been hot, but it had made both of them comfortable. Since then he had dated once or twice, but either he wasn't interested or she wasn't interested, and nothing had ever meshed. He thought he might one day again find someone to feel comfortable with, but he wasn't out there looking. When and if it happened, it would have to happen on its own.
He rubbed his eyes and left the recliner to go and take a shower. He took the band off his hair and let the water run over his scalp as he thought of Madeleine again. He had seen more of her in the last three days than he had seen of anyone in weeks. She was lonely, he guessed, and probably unused to being by herself. Things would be better for her on the weekend, when her sister came. She would leave Eris alone and he could get back to worrying about drunken boaters, horny skiers, and missing, presumed-drowned little girls.
The next morning he took her plate and another newspaper up and left it on her front porch. He didn't see her that day, or that evening, but the next morning when he drove up and tossed his paper in her yard, he saw his mailbox hanging open. He looked in and found a brown paper sack with a sandwich, a banana, and a bag of peanut butter crackers inside.
For putting it on the porch anyway, the note in the sack read. Eris shook his head and put the sack beside him in the seat.
“It's in the yard now,” he said as he drove away. He had some unsavory business to attend to that day. The parents of the missing little girl had used up every extension allowed, and the rules said they had to take their motor home and leave the park. Eris argued for special consideration and was denied. Rules were rules, and several goodwill shelters offered to take in the family since their plight aired on local television. Eris had to tell them to pick up and move along.
The Lyman’s did not take the news well. Ronnie Lyman's eyes reddened and his wife Sheila sat down and stared at the ground. The two little girls stopped playing and looked at Eris with round, fearful eyes, as if he were about to pounce on them.
“Your permit could be extended for three days only,” said Eris. “I asked for longer, but they turned me down.”
“We appreciate it,” mumbled Sheila.
“Yeah,” said Ronnie.
“You'll have to get your gear together and leave the park today.”
Ronnie began to shake his head. “They don't understand. How can they make us leave when we don't know what happened to our little girl yet?”
“It's been several days, Mr. Lyman. People are still looking, but not as intensively as before. There is nothing you can do here. I understand that several shelters have offered space to you, and I suggest you take advantage. Wherever you go, you will know immediately the moment there is any news. You have my sympathies.”
“It ain't right,” said Ronnie. “It just ain't right, you kickin' us out like this. I'm goin' on TV again and tell
What happened afterward surprised him, her coming to the truck and attempting to chat with him instead of staying to talk with Dale Russell. Either she didn't care, or it was good strategy on her part. Eris had seen women do anything short of a back flip to get Dale Russell's attention. The younger girls were more his style, however, so Eris had been further surprised at his mention of the dance to Madeleine.
Not that he could blame Russell. Even while he tried to avoid her Eris’s thoughts escaped to her flawless skin and unusual brown-green eyes. When he stood beside her he felt very tall and awkward and yes, ugly, though a part of him hated Russell for saying so. It was the same part that was envious.
Eris had a girlfriend in college; she had graduated first in her class and was now an astrophysicist. He thought of her sometimes, mostly when he missed having someone to be with. The romance hadn't exactly been hot, but it had made both of them comfortable. Since then he had dated once or twice, but either he wasn't interested or she wasn't interested, and nothing had ever meshed. He thought he might one day again find someone to feel comfortable with, but he wasn't out there looking. When and if it happened, it would have to happen on its own.
He rubbed his eyes and left the recliner to go and take a shower. He took the band off his hair and let the water run over his scalp as he thought of Madeleine again. He had seen more of her in the last three days than he had seen of anyone in weeks. She was lonely, he guessed, and probably unused to being by herself. Things would be better for her on the weekend, when her sister came. She would leave Eris alone and he could get back to worrying about drunken boaters, horny skiers, and missing, presumed-drowned little girls.
The next morning he took her plate and another newspaper up and left it on her front porch. He didn't see her that day, or that evening, but the next morning when he drove up and tossed his paper in her yard, he saw his mailbox hanging open. He looked in and found a brown paper sack with a sandwich, a banana, and a bag of peanut butter crackers inside.
For putting it on the porch anyway, the note in the sack read. Eris shook his head and put the sack beside him in the seat.
“It's in the yard now,” he said as he drove away. He had some unsavory business to attend to that day. The parents of the missing little girl had used up every extension allowed, and the rules said they had to take their motor home and leave the park. Eris argued for special consideration and was denied. Rules were rules, and several goodwill shelters offered to take in the family since their plight aired on local television. Eris had to tell them to pick up and move along.
The Lyman’s did not take the news well. Ronnie Lyman's eyes reddened and his wife Sheila sat down and stared at the ground. The two little girls stopped playing and looked at Eris with round, fearful eyes, as if he were about to pounce on them.
“Your permit could be extended for three days only,” said Eris. “I asked for longer, but they turned me down.”
“We appreciate it,” mumbled Sheila.
“Yeah,” said Ronnie.
“You'll have to get your gear together and leave the park today.”
Ronnie began to shake his head. “They don't understand. How can they make us leave when we don't know what happened to our little girl yet?”
“It's been several days, Mr. Lyman. People are still looking, but not as intensively as before. There is nothing you can do here. I understand that several shelters have offered space to you, and I suggest you take advantage. Wherever you go, you will know immediately the moment there is any news. You have my sympathies.”
“It ain't right,” said Ronnie. “It just ain't right, you kickin' us out like this. I'm goin' on TV again and tell
Similar Books
