Part 21 (1/2)
It looked like Arthur was losing it a little.
Too bad.
She thought about that. And after a while, she slept.
Nineteen.
The Most Important Thing
Two days before the hearing, she was finis.h.i.+ng the lunch dishes over at Ellie Brest's house and worrying why Owen hadn't called back yet so she could tell him about this phone-call-in-the-night thing when Ellie asked her to come into the living room.
Normally this was nap time.
Ellie was usually completely predictable. She'd fall asleep in the middle of one of the soaps and then all afternoon she'd wonder what she'd missed. If Lydia happened to hear any of it while she was going about her business she'd fill her in.
She turned off the tap and dried her hands, and walked into the darkened room. Ellie kept the lights off in there unless Lydia was cleaning. Saved a dollar or two on electricity, she said. Though the television was on all day and well into the night.
Now she wanted it off, though.
”During your soaps, El?”
”Yes.”
She walked over and turned it off, thinking how it was such a little thing-but knowing the enormous and painful effort it would have taken for Ellie to get up and do it for herself.
”Sit down, Liddy. Please.”
She sat across from her in the big overstuffed armchair that n.o.body ever used anymore now that her husband was gone.
”I know you're going to be away for a few days,” she said. ”And I just wanted to tell you while I still have the nerve to go b.u.t.ting into other people's business that I admire what you're doing, Liddy.”
She didn't know what to say. She couldn't have been more surprised if Ellie had got up and danced.
In the past she always seemed embarra.s.sed by Lydia's ... situation. She'd ask a question now and then-but always seemed to shy away from actually listening to the answer. She'd never expressed approval before-or disapproval either for that matter-just an infrequent, hesitant curiosity.
”Thanks, Ellie,” she said. ”That means a lot to me.”
”I know a lot of women would have just let it go on and on, would have turned a blind eye, so to speak. Wouldn't want the publicity or be too frightened of him or whatever.”
She hesitated. This clearly wasn't easy for her to say.
”Willie and I never did have children and there are many times I've regretted that. But regrets don't get you much in life, do they? The point is, I want you to know that I think you're doin' your duty by the boy. The important thing's the boy. That n.o.body hurt him. A child and the good decent life of a child is the most important thing in the world. I think I missed out on something. But I'm glad that a woman good as you are, Liddy Danse, I'm glad you didn't. Nothing I can do but pray for you. But I want you to know that I'll do that for you.”
She saw tears in the old woman's eyes. She was shaking with the effort of holding them back. And then there were tears in Lydia's eyes too as she stood and stepped over and gave her the gentlest and most delicate of hugs, her body so frail between her arms and against her cheek, smelling the good clean old-lady smell of her and feeling the warm wet tears pressed between their faces, and she thought, I love you old woman, I had no idea, it happened so quickly, I didn't know it could happen so quickly, but I do.
Just look. Just look at what you've given me.
Twenty.
Visitation, Part Three
When she pulled into the driveway after school with Robert the Lincoln was parked outside.
”Go on into the house,” she said to him.
He didn't hesitate.
She walked over to the car. Arthur was slumped low in the seat. If he was trying to look inconspicuous sitting there it wasn't working. Not in the big black Lincoln.
He rolled down the window.
”Arthur, what are you doing here?”
”Nothing. Waiting.”
”You know you're violating a court order being here.”
”I wanted to see him.”
”Why? You saw him the other day.”
”That was nonsense.”
It was a cold, gray damp afternoon. She could feel the heat wafting out of the Lincoln. She wasn't about to stand here talking to him.
”Well, you saw him,” she said. ”Good-bye. You can leave now.”
”Lydia?”
”What.”
”When did you get to be such a b.i.t.c.h?”