Read Online Salt Water by Charles Simmons - Free Book Online Page B

condition, I think it’s part of the human condition. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t, like most things in life. But it’s always a delusion. The beloved does not live up to expectations, and when love persists beyond disappointment it becomes a snare as well.”
    I said, “Why doesn’t the beloved live up to expectations?”
    “Because the expectations are high and the beloved is flawed.” She turned to Father and said, “Tell him!”
    When Father was silent she said again, “
Tell
him!”
    “I agree,” was all he would say.
    Everyone fell silent, and after a bit Mother said, “Let’s go in, away from the mosquitoes.”
    There were no mosquitoes. Mrs. Mertz and Zina excused themselves and went back to the guesthouse. The rest of us settled down inside. Mother fixed drinks for Father and herself.
    “Hillyer,” Mother said, “if you want to talk more about love, go ahead.”
    “No, ma’am, you and Mrs. Mertz explained it all.”
    That amused Mother and closed the subject. We played Scrabble, and later, going up the stairs, Hillyer said he would save Zina even before Hannah. “Zin-
a
! Zin-
a
! Zin-
a
!” he chanted.

10
Led Astray
    I WOKE LATE the next morning. Mother and Hillyer were having breakfast. They stopped talking when I came into the kitchen. I asked where Father was. Mr. Strangfeld had picked him up, along with Zina and Mrs. Mertz. I was put off that Zina hadn’t told me her plans.
    I asked Mother why Zina and Mrs. Mertz had gone to town.
    She said she didn’t know.
    I asked when they would be back.
    “Michael, I don’t
know
.”
    “When is Father coming back?”
    “Tomorrow.”
    “Did Father have to go to the office?”
    “Michael, you can ask everyone these questions when they get back. I’m not a social secretary.”
    Suddenly Hillyer suggested I return to town with him and stay over at his place. I expected Mother to veto that, but she said to go ahead. Later when Hillyer and I were alone I asked him what he and Mother had been talking about.
    “You.”
    “I knew it. What about?”
    “She wanted to know what was up with you and Zina.”
    “She thinks something’s up?”
    “She thinks you’re in for trouble.”
    “What else?”
    “She asked me to invite you to town.”
    “She thinks you’ll lead me astray and save me from Zina.”
    “That’s our plan.”
    “My own mother.” I was amused, sort of.
    We got to Hillyer’s house about six. I was always struck by the size of his living room, with all the windows and the high ceiling. The bottoms of the windows were clear, and the tops were stained glass. When the sun hit them in the morning the room looked like a kaleidoscope.
    Hillyer phoned for pizza, “with everything.”
    “No anchovies,” I shouted.
    “No anchovies,” he said.
    Then he phoned Rita. His plan was for her to come over later with a friend for me. After the pizzas I looked up “Mertz” in the phonebook. The address was ten minutes away. I phoned—the line was busy.
    “Listen,” I said, “I’m just going to walk over there and say hello. I’ll be back.”
    Zina’s place was a converted carriage house on a street along the water with lots of trees, more Zina’s style than Mrs. Mertz’s. A man in a tweed jacket, with watery blue eyes, answered the door.
    I introduced myself. “I’m a friend of Zina’s.”
    “Me too. Come on in. She’s out. Mrs. M’s fixing her face. I’m Jack Packard.”
    “Misha, what a surprise! How absolutely deliciously lovely to see you!” Mrs. Mertz in a red kimono stood in the doorway of the living room. “This is Mr. Packard. Misha lives next to us at the beach. I just put on some lipstick or I’d give you a big kiss. So you come over here and peck my cheek. Jack, fix drinks! And don’t be fooled by Misha’s youthful appearance. What’s your drink, Misha? Vodka? Neat, and neat for me. It’s been one thing after another. Just now Zina’s father called from Europe. What a thrill to hang up