heavy, contented. They could feel the current pushing fingers of sand underneath them.
Later they got out and went back to the blanket and toweled off and got dressed, they took a nap in the warm afternoon in the shade of the trees and got up again and waded in the creek once more to cool off before they packed up the food and drove back to Holt. He dropped her off at her house and she carried the picnic basket inside while he drove down the block andparked his car and put the shovel and rake back in the shed. When he stepped into the house, the phone rang almost immediately.
You’d better come over here, Addie said.
What’s going on?
Gene is here. He wants to talk to both of us.
I’ll be there in a minute.
In the living room Gene was sitting on the couch across from Addie.
He said, Sit down, Louis.
Louis looked at him and walked across the room and kissed Addie on the mouth. He made a point of it. Then he sat down.
What’s this about?
I’ll get to that, Gene said. I’ve been waiting for you all afternoon.
I told him where we’ve been, Addie said.
It’s not much of a place.
It’s what you make of it. It’s who you’re with, Louis said.
That’s why I’m here. I want this to stop.
You’re talking about us being together, Louis said.
I’m talking about you sneaking over here at night to my mother’s house.
No one’s sneaking around, Addie said.
That’s right. You’re not even ashamed of yourselves.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
People your age meeting in the dark like you do.
It’s been lovely. I wish you and Beverly had as good a time together as Louis and I do.
What would Dad say if he was in my position?
He wouldn’t want to talk about it. But I doubt he would have approved. It would not be something he would have done himself, even if he’d have thought of it.
No. He wouldn’t have approved. He had more sense, a clearer idea of his standing.
Oh Jesus. I’m seventy years old. I don’t care about what the town thinks. And you might care to know that at least some of the town does approve of us.
I don’t believe that.
Well you can or not, it doesn’t matter.
It matters to me. Taking my mother to Denver. Taking my son up in the mountains. And my God, the two of you sleeping in the same bed with him.
How do you know that? Addie said.
Nevermind. I know. What in the hell were you thinking of?
We were thinking about him, Louis said. He was scared. We brought him in to comfort him.
Yes, and every night now he cries. That started here.
That started, Addie said, when you left him here.
Mom, you know why I did that. You know I love my son.
But can’t you just do that? Can’t you just love him? He’s a good little boy. That’s all he wants.
Like Dad did with me, you mean.
I know your father wasn’t always kind.
Kind. My God, he had nothing to do with me after Connie died.
Gene wiped at his eyes. He looked at Louis. I want you to stay away from my mother. To leave my son alone. And forget about my mother’s money.
Gene, just be quiet, Addie said. Don’t say any more. What’s wrong with you?
Louis stood up from the couch. Listen to me, he said. It’s too bad you feel like this. I would never hurt your son. Or your mother. But I won’t stay away from her until she tells me to. And I sure as hell don’t have any interest in her money. If you want to talk anymore about this to me, I’ll see you tomorrow.
Louis bent over and kissed Addie again and went out.
I’m ashamed of you, Addie said. I don’t know what to say to you. This whole thing makes me so sick. So sad.
Just stop seeing him.
In the night Addie pulled the covers up to her face and turned away from the window and wept.
39
After the talk with Gene, Addie and Louis still saw each other. He came to her house at night but it was different now. It was not the same lighthearted pleasure and discovery. And gradually there were nights when he stayed home, nights when she read for hours alone, not
Later they got out and went back to the blanket and toweled off and got dressed, they took a nap in the warm afternoon in the shade of the trees and got up again and waded in the creek once more to cool off before they packed up the food and drove back to Holt. He dropped her off at her house and she carried the picnic basket inside while he drove down the block andparked his car and put the shovel and rake back in the shed. When he stepped into the house, the phone rang almost immediately.
You’d better come over here, Addie said.
What’s going on?
Gene is here. He wants to talk to both of us.
I’ll be there in a minute.
In the living room Gene was sitting on the couch across from Addie.
He said, Sit down, Louis.
Louis looked at him and walked across the room and kissed Addie on the mouth. He made a point of it. Then he sat down.
What’s this about?
I’ll get to that, Gene said. I’ve been waiting for you all afternoon.
I told him where we’ve been, Addie said.
It’s not much of a place.
It’s what you make of it. It’s who you’re with, Louis said.
That’s why I’m here. I want this to stop.
You’re talking about us being together, Louis said.
I’m talking about you sneaking over here at night to my mother’s house.
No one’s sneaking around, Addie said.
That’s right. You’re not even ashamed of yourselves.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
People your age meeting in the dark like you do.
It’s been lovely. I wish you and Beverly had as good a time together as Louis and I do.
What would Dad say if he was in my position?
He wouldn’t want to talk about it. But I doubt he would have approved. It would not be something he would have done himself, even if he’d have thought of it.
No. He wouldn’t have approved. He had more sense, a clearer idea of his standing.
Oh Jesus. I’m seventy years old. I don’t care about what the town thinks. And you might care to know that at least some of the town does approve of us.
I don’t believe that.
Well you can or not, it doesn’t matter.
It matters to me. Taking my mother to Denver. Taking my son up in the mountains. And my God, the two of you sleeping in the same bed with him.
How do you know that? Addie said.
Nevermind. I know. What in the hell were you thinking of?
We were thinking about him, Louis said. He was scared. We brought him in to comfort him.
Yes, and every night now he cries. That started here.
That started, Addie said, when you left him here.
Mom, you know why I did that. You know I love my son.
But can’t you just do that? Can’t you just love him? He’s a good little boy. That’s all he wants.
Like Dad did with me, you mean.
I know your father wasn’t always kind.
Kind. My God, he had nothing to do with me after Connie died.
Gene wiped at his eyes. He looked at Louis. I want you to stay away from my mother. To leave my son alone. And forget about my mother’s money.
Gene, just be quiet, Addie said. Don’t say any more. What’s wrong with you?
Louis stood up from the couch. Listen to me, he said. It’s too bad you feel like this. I would never hurt your son. Or your mother. But I won’t stay away from her until she tells me to. And I sure as hell don’t have any interest in her money. If you want to talk anymore about this to me, I’ll see you tomorrow.
Louis bent over and kissed Addie again and went out.
I’m ashamed of you, Addie said. I don’t know what to say to you. This whole thing makes me so sick. So sad.
Just stop seeing him.
In the night Addie pulled the covers up to her face and turned away from the window and wept.
39
After the talk with Gene, Addie and Louis still saw each other. He came to her house at night but it was different now. It was not the same lighthearted pleasure and discovery. And gradually there were nights when he stayed home, nights when she read for hours alone, not
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