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Glad to be released Beth and Tina ran into the room. Beth spun around. “I’m very glad to be home, Mommy,” she said. She glanced at Tina. “Tina is glad to be home too.”
Je
“I can see why. It’s very pleasant.”
“Well, don’t look too hard,” Je
“Are you going to buy your apartment?”
Je
Erich picked up Beth. “Let’s get out of those heavy clothes.” Quickly he unfastened her jacket, then said, “Now we’ve got to make up our minds. I’ve invited myself to di
They stood up together and faced each other. “Which is it, Je
She thought she detected a wistful note in the question. Before she could answer, Beth tugged at his leg. “You can read to me if you want,” she invited.
“That settles it,” Erich said decisively. “I’m staying. You have nothing more to say about it, Mommy.”
Je
She poured Chablis, then turned on the evening news for him while she bathed and fed the children. He read a story to them while she prepared di
He lifted one eyebrow to Je
After the children were in bed they ate at the dinette table that overlooked the garden. The snow in the yard was still white. The bare-limbed trees glistened in the reflection of the lights from the house. Thick, high evergreens almost hid the fence that separated the property from the adjacent yards.
“You see,” Je
“Where will you go?”
“I’m not sure but I’ve got six months to worry about it. We’ll find something. Now how about coffee?”
The bell rang. Erich looked a
But it was Kevin. He filled the doorway, boyishly handsome in his expensive ski sweater, a long scarf casually knotted over his shoulder, his dark red hair well-barbered, his face evenly ta
“Come in, Kevin,” she said, trying not to sound exasperated. Timing, she thought. By heaven, he’s got it.
He strode into the room, kissing her quickly. She felt suddenly embarrassed, knowing Erich’s eyes were on them.
“Kids in bed, Jen?” Kevin asked. “Too bad. I was hoping to see them. Oh, you have company.”
His voice changed, became formal, almost English. Ever the actor, Je
Kevin apparently decided to lighten the atmosphere. “Smells good in here, Jen. What have you been cooking?” He examined the stove top. “My word, what a fancy meatloaf.” He sampled it. “Excellent. I can’t imagine why I let you get away from me.”
“It was a dreadful mistake,” Erich said, his voice chipped with ice.
“It surely was,” Kevin agreed easily. “Well, look I won’t delay. Just thought I’d pop by on my way past. Oh, Jen, could I speak with you outside for a minute?”
She knew exactly why he wanted to speak with her. It was payday. Hoping Erich wouldn’t notice she slipped her purse under her arm as she went out to the foyer. “Kev, I really haven’t… ”
“Jen, it’s just that going overboard for Christmas for you and the kids left me short. My rent is due and the landlord is getting nasty. Just lend me thirty dollars for a week or so.”
“Thirty dollars. Kevin, I can’t.”
“Jen, I need it.”
Reluctantly she took out her wallet. “Kevin, we’ve got to talk. I think I’m going to lose my job.”
Quickly he took the bills. Stuffing them in his pocket, he turned toward the outside door. “That old joker would never let you go, Jen. He knows a good thing when he has it. Call his bluff and strike for a raise. He’ll never hire anyone for what he’s paying you. You’ll see.”
She went back into the apartment. Erich was clearing the table, ru
“Hey, hold it,” Je
Deliberately he dumped it out. “Not after that actor-ex of yours touched it they won’t!” He looked directly at her. “How much did you give him?”
“Thirty dollars. He’ll pay me back.”
“You mean to say you allow him to walk in here, kiss you, joke about abandoning you and breeze out with your money to spend at some expensive bar?”
“He’s short on his rent.”
“Don’t kid yourself, Je
Je
“You’ve got far too much work to do as it is.”
Silently Je
The rigid disapproval in Erich’s face and stance began to ease. He took the towel from her hands. “That’s enough of that,” he smiled.
He poured wine into fresh glasses and brought it over to the couch. She sat beside him, keenly aware of a deep but vague intensity about him. She tried to analyze her feelings and could not. In a little while Erich would leave. Tomorrow morning he was going back to Mi
“Je
She tried to smile. “I don’t think I was thinking. I was… just content, I suppose.”
“And I don’t know when I’ve been this content. Je
She was astonished enough to laugh. “Good Lord, no.”
“Then why are you so willing to give him money?”
“A misguided feeling of responsibility, I suppose. The worry that maybe he does need his rent.”
“Je
He was coming back to see her. The same delicious sense of relief and pleasure that had been hers when he suddenly appeared on Second Avenue filled her. “I’m free. I’ll find a sitter.”
“How about Saturday? Do you think the children would enjoy going to the Central Park Zoo if it isn’t too cold? And then we could take them to Rumpelmayer’s for lunch.”