“neverdid,”hesaidcarefully,speakingveryslowly.“who’she?”

thenexttimeilookedinonhimhewasasleep,withhismouthopen,hishairdampwithsweat,andreekingofscotch.hislipswerepulledbackfromhisteethinaloosegrimaceandthefurredsurfaceofhistonguelookeddry.

oneofthewhiskeybottleswasempty.aglassonthetablehadabouttwoinchesinitandtheotherbottlewasaboutthreequartersfull.iputtheemptyontheteawagonandrolleditoutoftheroom,thenwentbacktoclosethefrenchwindowsandturntheslatsoftheblinds.thespeedboatmightcomebackandwakehim.ishutthestudydoor.

iwheeledtheteawagonouttothekitchen,whichwasblueandwhiteandlargeandairyandempty.iwasstillhungry.iateanothersandwichanddrankwhatwasleftofthebeer,thenpouredacupofcoffeeanddrankthat.thebeerwasflatbutthecoffeewasstillhot.theniwentbacktothepatio.itwasquitealongtimebeforethespeedboatcametearingdownthelakeagain.itwasalmostfouro’clockwhenihearditsdistantroarswellintoanear-splittinghowlofnoise.thereoughttobealaw.probablywasandtheguyinthespeedboatdidn’tgiveadamn.heenjoyedmakinganuisanceofhimself,likeotherpeopleiwasmeeting.iwalkeddowntotheedgeofthelake.

hemadeitthistime.thedriverslowedjustenoughontheturnandthebrownladonthesurfboardleanedfaroutagainstthecentrifugalpull.thesurfboardwasalmostoutofthewater,butoneedgestayedinandthenthespeedboatstraightenedoutandthesurfboardstillhadariderandtheywentbackthewaytheyhadcomeandthatwasthat.thewavesstirredupbytheboatcamechargingintowardstheshoreofthelakeatmyfeet.theyslappedhardagainstthepilesoftheshortlandingandjumpedthetiedboatupanddown.theywerestillslappingitaroundwheniturnedbacktothehouse.

asireachedthepatioiheardabellchimingfromthedirectionofthekitchen.whenitsoundedagainidecidedthatonlythefrontdoorwouldhavechimes.icrossedtoitandopenedit.

eileenwadewasstandingtherelookingawayfromthehouse.assheturnedshesaid:“i’msorry,iforgotmykey.”thenshesawme.“oh—ithoughtitwasrogerorcandy.”

“candyisn’there.it’sthursday.”

shecameinandishutthedoor.sheputabagdownonthetablebetweenthetwodavenports.shelookedcoolandalsodistant.shepulledoffapairofwhitepigskingloves.

“isanythingwrong?”

“well,there’salittledrinkingbeingdone.notbad.he’sasleeponthecouchinhisstudy.”

“hecalledyou?”

“yes,butnotforthat.heaskedmetolunch.i’mafraidhedidn’thaveanyhimself.”

“oh.”shesatdownslowlyonadavenport.“youknow,icompletelyforgotitwasthursday.thecook’sawaytoo.howstupid.”

“candygotthelunchbeforeheleft.iguessi’llblownow.ihopemycarwasn’tinyourway.”

shesmiled.“no.therewasplentyofroom.won’tyouhavesometea?i’mgoingtohavesome.”

“allright.”ididn’tknowwhyisaidthat.ididn’twantanytea.ijustsaidit.

sheslippedoffalinenjacket.shehadn’twornahat.“i’lljustlookinandseeifrogerisallright.”

iwatchedhercrosstothestudydoorandopenit.shestoodthereamomentandclosedthedoorandcameback.

“he’sstillasleep.verysoundly.ihavetogoupstairsforamoment.i’llberightdown.”

iwatchedherpickupherjacketandglovesandbagandgoupthestairsandintoherroom.thedoorclosed.icrossedtothestudywiththeideaofremovingthebottleofhooch.ifhewasstillasleep,hewouldn’tneedit.