Part 40 (1/2)
She nuzzled his head and he felt that her cheeks et He sat back
”What's the matter, Mom?”
She snapped open her purse and took out a handkerchief
”Everything,” she said ”What's theto Tannen's again?”
”No”
”Don't lie, Tommy,” she said ”Don't make this worse than it already is”
”Okay”
”You can't do this You can't just skip school whenever you want to and go to Tannen's Magic Shop You're eleven years old You aren't a hoodlum”
”I know”
The train shuddered and the brakes screeched They were pulling into Pennsylvania Station now To him off the train, across the platform, back out to Jamaica, and then ho her eyes in theher head ruefully at the mess her tears had made
”Mom?” he said
She looked up
”I don't see any reason to waste these clothes and this hat just because you would rather saw a lady in half than learn fractions,” she said
”You ht we could spend the day in the city The two of us Eat at Schrafft's Maybe see a show”
”So you aren't going to punish me?”
She shook her head, once, dismissively, as if the question bored her Then she took hold of his hand ”I don't see any reason to tell your father about any of this, do you, Toh to worry about without this”
”Yes, ma'am”
”We'll just keep this whole little incident to ourselves”
He nodded, though there was an eager look in her eyes that ain He sat down
”But if you ever do this again,” she added, ”I'll take all of your cards and wands and all that other nonsense and toss them into the incinerator”
He sat back and relaxed a little As she promised, they lunched at Schrafft's, she on stuffed peppers, he on a Monte Cristo sandwich They spent an hour in Macy's and then took in It Should Happen to You It Should Happen to You at the Trans-Lux Fifty-second They caught the 4:12 for home Tom the nextwhen he came in to wake him for school The encounter on the train was scattered in the cracks in their fae to ask hison that inbound train, dressed in her fanciest clothes, but she hadover another of the lists she always left behind at the Trans-Lux Fifty-second They caught the 4:12 for home Tom the nextwhen he came in to wake him for school The encounter on the train was scattered in the cracks in their fae to ask hison that inbound train, dressed in her fanciest clothes, but she hadover another of the lists she always left behind
On the day that everything had changed, To in the outer roo Creams, where there was a false receptionist's desk Toh fabric like burlap, pool-table green, legs dangling, drinking a can of crea on the floor with his ar for what felt to To periods of their visits without saying very much Tommy would read his book, and Cousin Joe would work on the co up residence in the E
”How's your father?” Joe said abruptly
”Fine,” said Tommy
”That's what you always say”
”I know”
”He is worried about this book by Dr Werthaine? The Seduction of the Innocents?” The Seduction of the Innocents?”
”Real worried Soton”
Joe nodded ”Is he very busy?”
”He's always busy”
”Howout?”
”Why don't you ask him yourself?” Tommy said, with an unintended sharpness
There was no reply for a arette ”Maybe I will,” he said ”Some of these days”
”I think you should Everybody really misses you”
”Your father said that he misses me?”
”Well, no, but he does,” Toun to worry about Joe In theIsland, he had by his own ad less and less frequently, as if Toular experience of the external world ”Maybe you could come home with me, on the train It's nice There's an extra bed in my room”
”A 'trundle' bed”
”Yeah”
”Could I use your Brooklyn Dodgers bath towel?”
”Yeah, sure! I mean, if you wanted”
Joe nodded ”Maybe I will, soain
”Why do you keep staying here?”
”Why do you keep asking me that?”