parked in the airport terminal I saw that they had been holding hands. Both of them seemed a little subdued as Anna waited to check in, and when they said goodbye to each other outside the departure lounge, no one watching would have dreamed the separation was only for three days.
I stood discreetly in the background. Anna's last, impulsive hug pul ed Marty off balance. His glasses were knocked askew, and he adjusted them, absently, as he watched her disappear through the glass doors. He stared after her for a moment before turning towards me.
We walked back to the car in silence.
"Is Anna going to cal you later?" I asked, to break it.
"She said she'l phone me tonight."
"You're not going out, then?"
"No, I've too much to do."
"Yes, Anna said you were busy. It's a shame you couldn't have gone with her. I hope you didn't mind my asking her to go?"
"No, not at al . It'l be a good experience for her. And it'l al help when she's looking for work in New York. Have you had any feedback from that, by the way?"
"Feedback?"
"You were going to contact some people you knew, to see if they could help her. Have you heard anything?" Not only had I not heard anything, I had also forgotten I had offered to try.
But I resented him feeling he had the right to ask. "No, not yet. They should have got my letters by now, though. I'l give them another week and if I've not heard from them by then, I'l try telephoning." I changed the subject. "I expect it'l seem strange being in the flat alone." He nodded. "I guess." I made an attempt at jocularity. "Do you think you'l be able to manage?" A faint smile touched his mouth. "Oh, sure. Anna's going to cal every day, so if I run into any trouble, I can always yel for help." That was interesting to know. "Have you arranged a set time? In case I need to contact her," I added.
"She's going to cal between six and seven. I'm usual y back by then."
I dropped Marty at the university and drove to the gal ery. It seemed empty and lifeless without Anna. I shook off the feeling and telephoned Zeppo.
"She's gone."
"Good. Any problems?"
"No. And I found out that Marty's staying in tonight."
"Tonight's no good." I wondered if Zeppo was trying to make excuses. "Why?" Some of my suspicion must have carried into my voice, because he laughed.
"Now, now, Donald, don't snap. Tonight's no good because it's the first night she's been away, and he'l probably be wandering around the flat crying and sniffing her perfume, and trying to tel himself he's missing her. Tomorrow wil be better."
"Isn't that just wasting a night?"
"Is this the man who lectured me about doing things too soon?" I conceded. "Al right. I suppose you know what you're doing. But whatever it is, leave it until after seven o'clock." I told him what Marty had said about Anna telephoning then. "I don't want her to know he's seeing you."
"You're al heart. Are there any other instructions, while you're at it? Perhaps you would like to tel me exactly what you want me to do with Marty?"
"I'l leave that side of things up to you." I heard him laugh, drily. "You're a true leader, Donald." That night I had the dream again. It was the same setting as before. I was lying on the sofa, drowsily watching my mother brush her hair in the firelight. She was sitting with her back to me. This time I noticed she was wearing the same white silk robe she often used to wear when I was a child. The room was quiet except for the sound of the fire crackling in the grate, and the whisper of the brush. I felt warm and snugly content, hypnotised by the golden highlights in my mother's hair. Then, distant but jarring, there was another, more intrusive noise as, in the dream, the doorbel rang.
I awoke with a start. The alarm clock was clamouring next to
my head. I reached across and turned it off, then lay back to gather myself. I felt disorientated and confused. The dream was stil vividly with me. I could remember every detail, but now the glow of contentment it had
I stood discreetly in the background. Anna's last, impulsive hug pul ed Marty off balance. His glasses were knocked askew, and he adjusted them, absently, as he watched her disappear through the glass doors. He stared after her for a moment before turning towards me.
We walked back to the car in silence.
"Is Anna going to cal you later?" I asked, to break it.
"She said she'l phone me tonight."
"You're not going out, then?"
"No, I've too much to do."
"Yes, Anna said you were busy. It's a shame you couldn't have gone with her. I hope you didn't mind my asking her to go?"
"No, not at al . It'l be a good experience for her. And it'l al help when she's looking for work in New York. Have you had any feedback from that, by the way?"
"Feedback?"
"You were going to contact some people you knew, to see if they could help her. Have you heard anything?" Not only had I not heard anything, I had also forgotten I had offered to try.
But I resented him feeling he had the right to ask. "No, not yet. They should have got my letters by now, though. I'l give them another week and if I've not heard from them by then, I'l try telephoning." I changed the subject. "I expect it'l seem strange being in the flat alone." He nodded. "I guess." I made an attempt at jocularity. "Do you think you'l be able to manage?" A faint smile touched his mouth. "Oh, sure. Anna's going to cal every day, so if I run into any trouble, I can always yel for help." That was interesting to know. "Have you arranged a set time? In case I need to contact her," I added.
"She's going to cal between six and seven. I'm usual y back by then."
I dropped Marty at the university and drove to the gal ery. It seemed empty and lifeless without Anna. I shook off the feeling and telephoned Zeppo.
"She's gone."
"Good. Any problems?"
"No. And I found out that Marty's staying in tonight."
"Tonight's no good." I wondered if Zeppo was trying to make excuses. "Why?" Some of my suspicion must have carried into my voice, because he laughed.
"Now, now, Donald, don't snap. Tonight's no good because it's the first night she's been away, and he'l probably be wandering around the flat crying and sniffing her perfume, and trying to tel himself he's missing her. Tomorrow wil be better."
"Isn't that just wasting a night?"
"Is this the man who lectured me about doing things too soon?" I conceded. "Al right. I suppose you know what you're doing. But whatever it is, leave it until after seven o'clock." I told him what Marty had said about Anna telephoning then. "I don't want her to know he's seeing you."
"You're al heart. Are there any other instructions, while you're at it? Perhaps you would like to tel me exactly what you want me to do with Marty?"
"I'l leave that side of things up to you." I heard him laugh, drily. "You're a true leader, Donald." That night I had the dream again. It was the same setting as before. I was lying on the sofa, drowsily watching my mother brush her hair in the firelight. She was sitting with her back to me. This time I noticed she was wearing the same white silk robe she often used to wear when I was a child. The room was quiet except for the sound of the fire crackling in the grate, and the whisper of the brush. I felt warm and snugly content, hypnotised by the golden highlights in my mother's hair. Then, distant but jarring, there was another, more intrusive noise as, in the dream, the doorbel rang.
I awoke with a start. The alarm clock was clamouring next to
my head. I reached across and turned it off, then lay back to gather myself. I felt disorientated and confused. The dream was stil vividly with me. I could remember every detail, but now the glow of contentment it had
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