Should've lied, damn it. Why? he asked himself. Why bother? From the vague expression on Judy's face, he guessed that she didn't know the Banners. 'They live directly behind us.' He nodded toward the wall behind the rose bushes.
'Oh. saw you jump over.'
'The bushes got me pretty good.' He looked down at his sweaty chest, at the stripe of bright red blood above his left nipple. And he saw his pajama pants hanging so low that they looked ready to fall. Trying to appear embarrassed, he pulled the pants up above his hips. Then he folded his hands in front of his groin. 'Sorry,' he muttered.
'Don't worry about it. Why don't you come on over to my place? I'll patch you up a bit, and I'll find you something to wear.'
The offer made his heart pound quicker. 'Is Herb there?' he asked.
'Lucky dog, he flew to New York last night.'
She's asking me into her house. And she made it clear that he won't be showing up. Oh, man. Then he thought, Who do you think you're kidding? The last thing on Judy's mind is seducing a guy like me. She's just being friendly, trying to help. Probably feels sorry for me. So what? The minute we step into her house, she's mine. But Sheila's waiting, he reminded himself. Sheila's better than Judy - no comparison - and she's naked, and she can't get away. Then he thought, Judy'll keep. Her husband was in New York, some three thousand miles away. Sheila's was only about thirty or forty miles away in Glendale. No telling how long it might take either husband to return home, but the one coming from Glendale was bound to arrive first.
Gotta get Sheila out and away to someplace safe, or I'll miss my chance.
'I don't think should go into your house,' he said, 'if Herb's not there.'
Judy looked perplexed. 'What?'
'It wouldn't look good.'
'To whom? Are you kidding? Who would notice or care?'
'I don't know. It just…, anyway, I've gotta get back. only came around to find a saw and turn off the gas supply at Mother's.'
'I took care of the gas for you,' Judy said. 'I smelled a leak while was inside looking for you.' The gloom returned to darken her face. 'It's… so awful about your mother. I'm sorry.'
'It happened very fast. don't think she suffered.'
'You saw it?'
'Yeah. A big chunk of ceiling dropped straight down on her head. She never had a chance.'
'But you're all right?' Judy asked.
'The quake never touched me.' He felt a corner of his mouth turn up. 'Just the damn rose bushes.'
Judy smiled slightly, herself. 'Well, why don't you over? Under the circumstances, really doubt that any of the neighbors are likely to tell on us. We'll wash you off and get some disinfectant…'
'That really isn't necessary. And I've got to get…' Stanley frowned at the spigot. 'The water main must be broken or something.'
'My faucets don't work, either.'
'I bet it's the whole neighborhood,' he said, realizing Sheila's bathroom pipes probably would've sprayed all the place if she'd had any water pressure. 'Maybe the city,' he added.
'I've got some water in the refrigerator,' Judy said. You can use that to clean your wounds. You're probably thirsty too.'
'Maybe later, okay? But have you got a saw'
'What sort of saw do you need?'
'The best thing would be a chainsaw, guess. It's a beam.' He held up his hands to show her the size.
'I don't know. We haven't got one of those. don't know of anybody around here who does have a chainsaw. Would a regular handsaw do you any good at all? We've got a couple of those in the garage.'
'Worth a try,' Stanley said.
'Come on.'
He followed Judy down his driveway and through the gate. As they started across her own front yard, she said, 'That beam you need to cut, did it fall on something?'
The question didn't surprise him much. After
'Oh. saw you jump over.'
'The bushes got me pretty good.' He looked down at his sweaty chest, at the stripe of bright red blood above his left nipple. And he saw his pajama pants hanging so low that they looked ready to fall. Trying to appear embarrassed, he pulled the pants up above his hips. Then he folded his hands in front of his groin. 'Sorry,' he muttered.
'Don't worry about it. Why don't you come on over to my place? I'll patch you up a bit, and I'll find you something to wear.'
The offer made his heart pound quicker. 'Is Herb there?' he asked.
'Lucky dog, he flew to New York last night.'
She's asking me into her house. And she made it clear that he won't be showing up. Oh, man. Then he thought, Who do you think you're kidding? The last thing on Judy's mind is seducing a guy like me. She's just being friendly, trying to help. Probably feels sorry for me. So what? The minute we step into her house, she's mine. But Sheila's waiting, he reminded himself. Sheila's better than Judy - no comparison - and she's naked, and she can't get away. Then he thought, Judy'll keep. Her husband was in New York, some three thousand miles away. Sheila's was only about thirty or forty miles away in Glendale. No telling how long it might take either husband to return home, but the one coming from Glendale was bound to arrive first.
Gotta get Sheila out and away to someplace safe, or I'll miss my chance.
'I don't think should go into your house,' he said, 'if Herb's not there.'
Judy looked perplexed. 'What?'
'It wouldn't look good.'
'To whom? Are you kidding? Who would notice or care?'
'I don't know. It just…, anyway, I've gotta get back. only came around to find a saw and turn off the gas supply at Mother's.'
'I took care of the gas for you,' Judy said. 'I smelled a leak while was inside looking for you.' The gloom returned to darken her face. 'It's… so awful about your mother. I'm sorry.'
'It happened very fast. don't think she suffered.'
'You saw it?'
'Yeah. A big chunk of ceiling dropped straight down on her head. She never had a chance.'
'But you're all right?' Judy asked.
'The quake never touched me.' He felt a corner of his mouth turn up. 'Just the damn rose bushes.'
Judy smiled slightly, herself. 'Well, why don't you over? Under the circumstances, really doubt that any of the neighbors are likely to tell on us. We'll wash you off and get some disinfectant…'
'That really isn't necessary. And I've got to get…' Stanley frowned at the spigot. 'The water main must be broken or something.'
'My faucets don't work, either.'
'I bet it's the whole neighborhood,' he said, realizing Sheila's bathroom pipes probably would've sprayed all the place if she'd had any water pressure. 'Maybe the city,' he added.
'I've got some water in the refrigerator,' Judy said. You can use that to clean your wounds. You're probably thirsty too.'
'Maybe later, okay? But have you got a saw'
'What sort of saw do you need?'
'The best thing would be a chainsaw, guess. It's a beam.' He held up his hands to show her the size.
'I don't know. We haven't got one of those. don't know of anybody around here who does have a chainsaw. Would a regular handsaw do you any good at all? We've got a couple of those in the garage.'
'Worth a try,' Stanley said.
'Come on.'
He followed Judy down his driveway and through the gate. As they started across her own front yard, she said, 'That beam you need to cut, did it fall on something?'
The question didn't surprise him much. After
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