Read Online Red Hook by Reggie Nadelson - Free Book Online Page A

thinking: who are all these people? The party swelled up with them, some I recognized, others seemed familiar as if from another life. By midnight, it was crowded and chaotic, and I loved it.
    â€œYou collect people, Artie,” Lily Hanes had once said to me. “You are a wanton collector of friends. Women, but not just women. Promiscuous,” she said, laughing. “It makes you feel secure, having so many friends and you do things for them, and you ask them for favors and there’s always a trade-off, isn’t there, but you know that, don’t you?” I remembered her saying it now, and then someone tugged at my sleeve; it was Millie Crabbe, and I turned to talk to her, and thought to myself: It’s your wedding, let it all go!
    â€œArtie! Artie, hi! Artemy.”
    More people. People speaking English. Russian. People I knew from Brighton Beach, and their children, little kids, kids in their teens who trailed out on the terrace for cigarettes, Millie and Maria, following thebigger girls and looking awestruck by the attention they got. In a pack, they moved outdoors and their laughter seemed to linger in their wake.
    The laughter grew. There was a rise in the voices, and the heat from the crowd and the band playing something Brazilian. I was hazy with wine and trying not to think about Sid when I heard a familiar voice.
    Ricky Tae.
    It was Ricky, wearing a perfect black summer suit, incredibly handsome, smooth and lean, now in his late thirties. He lived upstairs from me. His parents had owned the building, they had helped me buy my loft. We had been close, Ricky and I, but we had somehow drifted apart. He was always on and off planes, always doing business in Asia. I hugged him. I missed him.
    â€œYou got married,” he said. “You really did it.” He handed me a package wrapped in red paper. “From the parents,” he added. “My pop was too sick to come and my mother won’t leave him. My mother was miserable, though, not being here.”
    â€œI know. I talked to her. Listen, I didn’t ask anyone to the ceremony, you know, no one, it’s how Maxine wanted it.”
    â€œDarling, I know that,” he said. “Lot of people here,” he added, scanning the room.
    â€œYeah, it’s great.”
    Rick hesitated.
    â€œBy the way, is Sid McKay coming?” he finally asked.
    I was startled. “Why?”
    â€œI’m just asking. You’re friends with Sid, aren’t you? Pretty good friends. I thought he’d come to yourwedding. I just thought you’d have asked him. Or maybe your Russian pal, Sverdloff, doesn’t like aging faggots.”
    â€œWhat’s with you? Sure I asked Sid. He said he didn’t feel like coming into the city. Of course I asked him. I didn’t even know Sid was a friend of yours anyhow,” I said.
    â€œI’m sorry. I’m a little bit drunk.”
    â€œSo you know Sid?”
    â€œYou introduced us.”
    â€œWhat? When? I don’t remember that.”
    â€œForget it,” Rick said.
    I leaned closer to him.
    â€œListen to me. I saw Sid this morning. He called me, he was worried, there was a guy who died off Red Hook, you know anything about it?”
    â€œNo,” Rick said, making to move away. “How would I know? I need a drink. Talk to my sister, she came all the way from Hong Kong just for you.”
    â€œDarling, Artie. Congratulations!”
    Her face near mine, her hand on my arm, the heavy sexy smell of Joy that she had always worn clung to Dawn Tae.
    â€œDawn.”
    â€œHello, Artie.”
    â€œWe kissed and then she drew back slightly and I saw how much she had aged. The incredible girl I’d once known was now a middle-aged woman. She glanced around and a waiter appeared with her drink. Dawn was still imperious, a commanding presence.People noticed when she wanted something. She kissed me again.
    I smiled at her. “Hello, Dawn, I can’t