Chapter 8
There are two ways of reaching a decision. You can make it yourself. You can grab the horns of a dilemma, twist them the way you want them, and stand on your feet and declare yourself. Or you can stall, vacillate, and wait and wait and wait, but eventually time and circumstances catch up with you, and one day you discover that they have made the decision for you.
Noel was not going to wait for time and circumstances to make any decision for her. She had stalled almost too long. She had put things off too long. She had had enough of Bill Eberling, Fan's husband. She wanted no more of him, ever. That, of course, meant that she had to leave home, for there was no other way to escape him. And that would hurt her mother, but maybe she could stand it. After all, as blind as Fan was with regard to Bill, she was a strong person. She wouldn't collapse if her daughter ran away.
Noel woke up early the next morning, and had breakfast with Fan. How many more breakfasts she would have with her she didn't know, but she tried not to think about that. She tried to be cheerful, pleasant.
"Was it a nice party last night?" Fan asked.
"A very nice party," Noel said.
"Did you have a lot of fun?"
"Yes."
"I wish you could have a party here with your friends but I'm not sure Bill would like it. He's not at all well. His back is bothering him, I know. Last night he seemed terribly tired."
Wonderful! Noel thought. I just hope Debby works him to death.
"What are you going to do today?" Fan asked. "I see you are wearing a dress again."
"Yes, I might have a job this afternoon," Noel answered.
"Baby-sitting?"
"No, I don't think it'll be that. I don't know what it'll be. It might not even work out."
"I hope it will for you," Fan said, and she got up, walked around the breakfast table, and kissed her on the forehead.
Noel was a little teary as she left the apartment with Fan. But she blinked the tears away.
The morning was not easy. She didn't run into Debby. Maybe she had slept late, then gone to see Bill. And maybe she would show up with the gang at Peel's late this afternoon. But Mary was around, to nag her, and to look mournful, or desperate, or weepy.
"But you love me," Mary said.
"No, I don't love anyone," Noel said. "And I'm not about to fall in love. And that's that."
Unfortunately, that didn't end the argument. Mary was unhappy, miserable, and she seemed to blame everything on Noel. At least she tried to.
Noel was able to get away from her shortly after noon, and she stayed out of sight until two-thirty. That was the time she had said she would be at Matt Kroeger's.
He answered the door promptly, and just as last night, his eyes brightened as he saw her and he said, "Come on in. I wasn't sure you'd get here."
"Why?" she asked bluntly.
"I just had a feeling you might change your mind."
She shook her head. "You haven't offered anything. I haven't decided anything."
He looked at her narrowly. "Are you always as direct as this? Most people would hem and haw and wait for the proposition."
"Are you going to make one?"
He laughed but said, "There you go, pushing me. I can make a proposition. I could make several. Like to go to the bedroom?"
"That isn't your main proposition, is it?"
"No, there's another."
"Then we'll save the bedroom for later," Noel said. "And if I go there I'll wait to be carried. I will always want to be carried."
He brushed his hand over his head and he said, "Noel, you're really one for the book. You don't mind a tumble, do you?"
"I didn't with you. I haven't done that very much,. There's a lot I don't know."
"I would never have guessed."
"Then I must have been better than I thought."
He scowled at her, then he said, "Two propositions. I have a friend uptown. A woman. She can take you in for a time. She runs sort of a school. After you spent a little time there you would be furnished your own apartment, clothes, food, and maid service. You would have some work to do, not too much. You would earn a fair income."
"My work would be with men-different men?"
"Yes."
"I am not sure I want that. What is the other proposition?"
"I have a place on the island. I spend my week ends there. Sometimes I take someone with me. If you were there I wouldn't have to take anyone. A middle-aged couple looks after the place. During the week you wouldn't have much to do, but week ends I'd keep you busy. You wouldn't be making any money."
"This-wouldn't be permanent, would it?"
"Probably not. It all depends."
"I'll take it," Noel said.
He took a deep breath. "You mean it? No money?"
"No money."
He shook his head. "The way you took that fifty bucks last night I thought you'd want to move uptown."
"Last night was a different matter," Noel said. "You can have the fifty dollars back, if you want it."
"You're still impossible."
She laughed. "No I'm not. You'll find out."
"What about your folks?"
"I'll write them a letter. Someday I'll see them. I mean Fan, my mother. She's the only one who counts."
He nodded slowly. "I can have your letter mailed from Cleveland. Yes, this might work out. When do you want to leave?"
"Right now."
"Will later tonight be all right?"
"Yes, that will be fine."
He grinned suddenly. "Then what about my first proposition, a trip to the bedroom?"
Noel smiled. "There was one condition, remember? I want to be carried."
He walked toward her, lifted her into his arms, turned and started toward the bedroom. Noel was aware of where she was going now, but she didn't know about tomorrow or all the tomorrows ahead. Some, she was sure, would be fine. Some might be difficult, but life was like that. She was taking a chance on tomorrow, but then, she had to. If she had stayed, Bill would have smothered her.
Sue Dorchester took a late lunch hour. Then she waited for Arthur Morrell. He met her promptly, took her arm, squeezed it, and led the way up the street. It was not far to the apartment he had found. By appointment, the rental agent was there. He was a tall, gaunt man. He seemed unable to smile. While she and Arthur looked through the apartment he stood at the hall door impatiently as though he didn't care what decision they made.
Actually, it was a very nice apartment. It consisted of a small parlor, a small bedroom, a small kitchen and a small bathroom. But the furnishings looked comfortable and the bed was big. Arthur tried it and said it was fine, and that it didn't squeak. He said he didn't like squeaky beds.
Sue looked at it and thought, That is where I will sleep, many times alone. But also there will be many times when Arthur is there, or when there might be someone else. Chiefly, of course, I will be sharing the bed with Arthur, and although he might not get me very excited, at least he will be attentive. That was one thing you could count on, so far as a lover was concerned. He was always attentive.
That was what she .had been missing. Attention.
Arthur sat up on the edge of the bed. His face looked anxious. "How about it, Sue? How about it?"
She looked down at him. "Would you like to be here?"
He didn't hesitate. "If you were here, yes."
"For how long? How many months?"
"Forever."
She shook her head. "Nothing is for ever."
"Then say for a year, and we'll add on another year, and another."
"But for now?"
"The lease is for a year. I'll pay the rent. Don't worry."
She looked away, bit her lip and said, "All right, Arthur. We'll take it."
"That's great! Great!"
He reached out, caught her arms, pulled her to him and his excitement made him shaky. He drew her into his arms and kissed and held her so tightly it was hard to breathe. Then he whispered that if the rental agent could be persuaded to go away, they could try the bed right now.
Sue laughed and shook her head. "He probably won't go."
"No. But that would be nice if he would."
"What do you have to do?"
"I'll have to go back with him, sign the lease, and pay the rent, and the security. I think you could move in tomorrow. If you can, I'll help you settle in."
Sue nodded again. If she was going to move she might as well do it. This was a drastic change she was making but she wouldn't be gaining anything by temporizing.
"Find out if we can get in tomorrow," she suggested "If we can, I'll move everything I want in the morning, after Carl has gone to work. I'll leave him a note."
"He was never the man for you," Arthur said. "Maybe not."
Arthur kissed her again, then they went to see the agent who was still waiting at the door. He seen-' almost indifferent when they said they would take the apartment.
It was a long day, and a strange day. She should have been excited at the prospects which lay ahead but for some reason or other, she felt sad. If Carl could only have stayed like he was the first months of their marriage-But he hadn't stayed the same. All of his interests had turned inward, and she had been squeezed out. To save herself, she had to do what she was doing. There was no other course she could follow.
Joe walked toward her. He said, "How goes it?"-She looked at him, looked away. "All right, I guess."
"What's the matter? Is something wrong?"
"No. I was just thinking."
"You've changed sjnce yesterday," Joe said. "I was about to use your shoulder to cry on. Remember?"
Her lips twitched and she looked back at him. "I haven't changed. I've just been a little absent-minded. Has the world fallen apart?"
"Just about."
"What can I do?"
His eyes were bold. "Loan me that shoulder."
She lowered her voice. "I'm afraid Mr. Morrell wouldn't like that. He's watching us anyhow."
It struck her as funny that Arthur was watching her with the attitude of a husband, but maybe if he was going to pay her rent he had the right of being jealous. The right! She didn't like that. If Arthur started watching her constantly, she would resent it. She might even blow up, walk out. But she couldn't do that now. Money was too tight.
"You said something about taking a walk," Joe said.
"Yes, I remember," Sue said. "Let me see-" She hesitated and she was thinking more of her resentment of Arthur's control than of Joe's vague needs.
"I could hurry my sweeping tonight," he was saying, "I can get away by nine-fifteen. If you had a cup of coffee at the lunch counter around the corner-"
She turned her attention to him. "You think of everything, don't you?"
He didn't like that. "No, it's just-"
"Where will we go after nine-fifteen?"
"I just thought-"
"I'll think about it, Joe." Then she hurried what she was saying. "Here comes Arthur-Mr. Morrell."
He was coming their way and as Joe walked toward the front of the store, he joined her, and frowned. His method of extending his control over her was interesting. "If that kid gives you any trouble, I'll run him out."
"You need someone to make deliveries," Sue answered.
"I can buy kids like him by the dozen."
Sue shrugged. "Joe's all right. He doesn't bother me.
"He's lazy like everyone else," Arthur said, and he lowered his voice. "Have you been thinking about our apartment?"
"Yes I have."
"I just can't wait until tomorrow night. We're gonna have a ball. We sure are."
He reached out, squeezed her arm and grinned. From the front of the store, Joe was watching. From the rear, from the prescription department, Howard Kendrick was watching.
Sue was able to smile, but she was thinking, II it's going to be like this I won't be able to take it. I don't want to be hovered over. I don't want to be owned. This isn't what I need.
The afternoon ran out, and the early hours of the evening. Several times she looked at Joe curiously.
She had told herself definitely that her interest in Joe was of the motherly kind, but she still felt uneasy about meeting him after closing. She reminded herself he was just a kid, only seventeen, and that seemed to end the matter. But it didn't. Finally she decided not to see him after the store was closed, but when he asked her again, she saw Arthur watching her, and she said, "All right, I'll be at the lunch counter. But be sure Mr. Morrell has left."
"I'll be sure of that," Joe said.
She waited for him at the lunch counter, after the store was closed, and she knew she was doing a foolish thing. She had no real interest in Joe Banning, and she never would have. Any way you figured it, he w-r-seventeen, and much too young for her. What she would do with him tonight she had no idea. She could take him home-this was the night when Carl was late getting home. He might not get back until eleven. But why should she take Joe home? Why should she do anything with him?
He joined her at the counter. "Hi. I made it in record time."
"And Mr. Morrell?"
"He ducked into the subway. I saw him. Everything's clear."
She finished her coffee. "What do you want to do?"
"Just spend a little time with you. Maybe we could take a walk."
"I've been on my feet all day."
"Then maybe we can try a restaurant, one where they have booths."
She shook her head. "No, we'll go home. I don't want to take a walk and I don't want to be out late."
Joe frowned. "Won't it bother your husband if I go home with you? I mean-"
"I don't think he'll be there," Sue answered. "This is the night he works late. He probably won't be home until eleven and you'll be gone long before then."
"Sure," Joe said. But he didn't sound happy.
They walked toward her apartment and on the way they didn't say much. Sue asked him what was wrong and Joe said everything was. But he didn't say what he meant. He didn't take her arm; at least she appreciated that.
It was a warm evening. Several people who lived in her apartment house were in front, sitting on the stoop, and one or two nodded. They might also have looked curiously at Joe, but no one she noticed seemed very interested. Then inside, and on the way up to her apartment, she was glad that Ed Yorty didn't come out and say something. Ed Yorty seemed to be a frustrated man. He wanted her again but his wife was back, and there wasn't anything he could do.
Sue unlocked her apartment door, reached in and clicked on the lights, and they went in. The small apartment was hot and stuffy. The windows were already open, but that didn't help much.
She looked around and then motioned, "There isn't much I can do to cool the apartment, but if you'd like to we can sit out on the fire escape. It's through the bedroom."
Joe grinned. "Couldn't we stop in the bedroom?"
"No. If you talk that way I'll send you home."
"You wouldn't do that."
"But I would."
He was taller than she was, and he was thin. It occurred to her that if they were in the darkness she might not have sensed that he was only seventeen. But he was. In the light of the room she could see that.
"Want to sit here?" She pointed to the sofa. "Or should we go out through the bedroom to the fire escape steps?"
"Out there," Joe said.
She led the way, or started to. Joe was right behind her. but as they were rounding the foot of the bed he reached out and caught her, swung her around and took her in his arms.
He might be seventeen, but he did very well, moved behind her, slid an arm around her, and turned her and held her close against him. He found her lips almost at once and was kissing her even as she started struggling.
She did struggle, but then she stopped and tried to reason with him. She pulled her head back and cried, "Joe, stop. Stop, I tell you, or I'll send you home. I didn't bring you here to-"
That was about as far as she got. He pulled her forward again and his lips stopped what she was saying. He was pretty good at kissing too. And he was good about holding her close against his body. A crazy thought ran through her mind. Why not! A quick tumble wouldn't take more thaii twenty minutes. That would take less time than that. Joe was ready for her now. All she had to do was lie back on the bed and let nature take its course.
She didn't have to do anything about getting onto the bed. Joe took care of that. He maneuvered her around the foot of the bed, then lay down on the bed with her, at her side, one of his hands already under the top of her dress at her breasts. He didn't waste any time getting there.
She didn't say anything. What was there to say? She had stopped struggling. She had already decided in her mind what she would do.
He took off her dress. She even helped him. And her brassiere, her slip and her panties.
She pulled him to her. He hadn't taken off his clothes and it occurred to her that would be more pleasant if he did. But why wait? There was always a right time and the way she felt, this was the time. She didn't want to wait any longer.
She eased him to her and she locked her arms around him-
And that was when the ceiling light went on and she jerked a look toward the door and saw Carl looking in at them.
Carl was home. He had come home early.
He had entered silently, walked to the bedroom and clicked on the light.
Now he was just standing there, his eyes wide shocked, unbelieving. He seemed rooted where he was.
Sue dropped her arms and as she did, Joe rolled away toward the far side of the bed. She heard him gasp, and out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of him, heading for the open window and the fire escape. He disappeared so quickly it was amazins.
Joe might have thought Carl would follow him, but he didn't. He still stood in the doorway, motionless.
Sue hadn't said a word. She didn't say anything now. She knew very well there was nothing she could say.
This was something she could never explain. There were no words to wipe out what Carl had seen.
She didn't say anything, and Carl didn't either, but he suddenly walked to the bed and leaned over and, using his fist, smashed Sue in the face.
Blood smeared from her nose. She screamed, and raised her arms to protect herself.
But her arms didn't help. Carl hit her again, closed the other eye. He hit her in the face again, again. He slammed his fist at one of her breasts, then at the other breast. He hammered her on the stomach.
She had screamed and screamed. When she stopped she didn't know.
She would never know who called the ambulance to carry her to the hospital.
Joe was frightened. He had never been so frightened in his life. He had escaped from Sue's bedroom, all right. He had piled out of the window and had skinned down the fire escape ladder as though it were greased. Then he ran for more than a block. He was out of wind when he stopped and he was still in a panic. Actually, he felt like running away. He almost did.
But he felt better the next day. Better, but nervous. He saw in nearly every man he met a copy of Carl Dorchester. He didn't calm down until he read in the newspaper that Carl was in jail. He had beat up his wife. She was in the hospital.
Arthur went to see her. He didn't make any report to Joe, but he did say a few things to Mr. Kendrick, and Joe was near enough to listen in.
"She sure took a beating," Arthur said. "I couldn't see how bad it was, most of her face was bandaged and her eyes were swollen shut. A man who would do a thins like that ought to be shot. No. That isn't enough. He ought to be tortured."
"What did he do it for?" Mr. Kendrick asked.
"Who knows? Maybe he was drunk."
"How long will Sue be in the hospital?"
"A week maybe. I sure hope her face isn't cut up."
"Will she be coming back here?"
"Sure she will. At least I think she will."
The story in the newspaper hadn't explained why Carl had beaten his wife. But maybe the police knew more than was in the newspapers. This gave Joe a new reason to be worried. Sue could have said someth;" to the police, or her husband could have said something. If that was true, maybe he was in for trouble. He didn't know. It had occurred to him that maybe he ought to pay a visit to Sue, but he was afraid to.
He was sorry about what had happened to Sue, but from his viewpoint, what had happened would become a good story. He had been interrupted at a most critical point. It was amazing he had gotten away. If Sue had tried to hold him, he might be the one in the hospital.
Three days slid by. Empty days. Very little happened.
He hadn't seen Noel at all. He didn't know what had happened to her.
He didn't see much of Debby. She never showed up until late in the day.
Olga met him once, had wanted to see him, and he spent the evening with her. A typical evening. And he did his best to entertain her but after that was over she had said, "Next time, I want someone else. The young man you mentioned to me."
"I'll see if I can get him," Joe answered.
Her voice was sharp. "Joe, I want him. If you fail me-"
"Don't worry, I'll get him," Joe answered.
Again, so far as Joe was concerned, none of the breaks were coming his way.
Serena hadn't called him again.
Olga didn't want him again. She wanted to try someone else.
He had narrowly escaped from Sue's husband and he was still nervous over the experience.
And Noel seemed to have disappeared.
He had a brief and disturbing talk with Debby. He met her one evening, outside the drug store, and he asked, "How did you like Mr. Kroeger?"
She frowned. "Who's Mr. Kroeger? I don't know any Mr. Kroeger."
"He lives down in that new apartment house." He pointed. "Don't you remember the message I sent to you through Noel?"
"She never gave me any message from you."
"And you never went to meet Mr. Kroeger?"
"I never heard of him."
"But Noel said-where is she, anyhow?"
"Away somewhere. She picked up some job. She telephoned her mother last night. I .guess she'll be back by fall."
Joe looked at her curiously. "How do you know so much about her?"
"I know the family."
She smirked and turned away, and Joe didn't know what to think. He had a feeling that Debby must have kept the date with Mr. Kroeger. At least Mr. Kroeger hadn't complained to him about the ten dollars he had put up. Ten dollars for a young girl for the evening. Debby must have showed up.
Three more days passed, and in the evening, Chuck stopped him outside the drug store. There was a wide grin on his face and he said, "Where do you think I'm going tonight?"
"How would I know?" Joe growled.
"Olga wants me. Met her on the street just before noon. She gave me this."
Chuck showed him the corner of a ten dollar bill. If it had come from Olga, and it must have, then he was all the way out in the cold.
"An easy ten bucks," Chuck said. "And she'll be a lot of fun, too. She acts like she's starved."
"She'll wear you out," Joe said.
"She won't wear me out," Chuck said. "I'm the kind who can take plenty."
So that took care of Olga. At least, for a time. Until she wanted to try some other young man. At that date, she might come to him. Or she might not. Easily she could use Chuck, and get him to find someone else.
Sue had been interviewed by the police, but she never mentioned Joe. This wasn't out of loyalty. It was a protection to her not to admit what she had been doing when Carl walked in. And he hadn't said anything as far as she knew. He had refused to tell the police why he beat her up. He was out of jail on bail, but he hadn't come near her, and he probably never would.
Arthur came to see her almost every day. He couldn't have seemed more devoted. He brought her flowers. He bought her candy she couldn't chew. He was ready to install her in the apartment he had rented as soon as she could leave the hospital. And he expected her to return to her job in the drug store.
She knew she didn't deserve such treatment. She knew she should have fallen in love with him, but she knew she wouldn't. Instead, she made a firm resolution-to be good to him, to be as faithful to him as possible, and to be very careful about her deportment.
She would never be caught the way she had been with Joe.
Never-if possible.
She was still ugly when she left the hospital. Her face was blotched with color. Her eyes were only partially open. Her lips were still cut.
But Arthur took her home, to the newly rented apartment. He took her home and put her to bed, and got onto the bed with her. And why not? That was why he was paying the rent. She was just out of the hospital, and she was shaky. Her lips weren't kissable, her face was discolored, and her breasts were sore.
Arthur tried to be gentle, but he didn't manage very well. He was awkward, and about as graceful as a cow. He bumped her, and he grunted, and he got sweaty, but in a way that was all right. Sue managed to build up a very nice level of excitement.
Then she stretched out beside him and rested and let him hold her, and was patient.
"This is like being home," Arthur said. "For this is my home. My real home. I am going to love being here."
"I love this too," Sue answered. And those were the words she had to use.
"Mondays I'm going to stay all night," Arthur said. "That's all set up. My wife will think I'm at the club, playing poker. She would never try to reach me."
Sue didn't say anything.
"Then, every night I can, I'm going to stop here after work."
"Of course you will," Sue said.
She smiled to herself. At first he would be overly attentive, but on most nights, after ten, she would be alone. And her week ends would be her own.
Three cheers for the week ends.
He got up and dressed and left her, but he promised to drop in at six, for dinner. Then he would stop in again, tonight. He was going to start to collect for the rent money he had put up. She would have to pay up. A bargain was a bargain. But three cheers for the week ends.
It was the next afternoon when Mr. Morrell called Joe to the telephone. His attitude was severe. "Another call for you, Joe. I don't like this. I've told you before this is supposed to be a business telephone. I want you to tell your friends not to call you at this number."
"Yes sir, I'll tell them," Joe said. But he picked 'up the telephone and said, "This is Joe Banning."
"Joe?" It was Serena on the other end of the line, and his heart jumped. "Joe, I can talk for only a minute. Oliver is waiting for me. I am at the airport. We are on our way to Hawaii."
His heart dropped all the way to the basement "Oh!"
"I am sorry it worked out like this, Joe," Serena said. "I will always remember you. I hope you will always remember me."
He couldn't say anything, not even a word.
"Good-bye, Joe," Serena said. "Good-bye and good luck."
The line clicked dead, just like that, and he hung up.
Serena was gone, out of his life. He would probably never see her again. He almost wished he was dead.
But he wasn't. He was alive, and he had a job, and his boss, Mr. Morrell, was giving him an order.
"Here is a package to be delivered, Joe. I want you to hurry there at once and to come straight back. Are you listening to me, Joe?"
"Yes sir," Joe said.
"I am trusting you, Joe," Mr. Morrell said. "I do not want you to talk to anyone when you come back."
That was a strange order but he hardly thought about it. He was filled with his own loss, the lost Serena. She was really gone this time. Gone forever.
Outside the drug store he looked at the package Mr. Morrell had given him. There was no name on it, just an address and an apartment number. There was also a notation, NO CHARGE. He shrugged and started up the street, found the address and the proper apartment, and knocked on the door, then waited.
It was Sue who opened the door, and he couldn't have been more shocked. She was in a negligee but that wasn't what caught his attention. It was her face which made him shaky. It was still discolored, puffed and black and blue around the eyes, and the lips were cut. Her front teeth were gone, too.
He gulped and didn't know what to say.
He was the one who had been with her when Carl had come in.
He was the one to blame for what had happened. When Carl came in he had fled to the window and down the fire escape.
But he hadn't known what Carl would do. He hadn't known what a beating Sue would have to take. He had read about it in the newspaper but right now he was face to face with the woman who had taken the punishment.
He gulped again, and spoke her name. "Sue!"
She held out her hand and her voice couldn't have been any more impersonal. "I believe you have a package for me."
"Yes." He held it out.
Sue took it, and slammed the door.
She slammed it hard.
That was that. Sue was out of his life, too. He might see her around. She might even show up at the store and go back to work, but she would never have anything to do with him. He knew that very well.
When he got back to the store another delivery was waiting for him. It was a package for Matt Kroeger, and that was interesting. Last time he had gone there he had picked up a good tip and an extra ten dollars, for Debby. Maybe this trip would be just as productive.
He rang the bell at Kroeger's apartment, waited until he appeared, then followed him inside and closed the door.
"Thanks, kid. How much is it?" the man asked. "Two eighty," Joe answered.
"Here's three bucks, and another one too," Kroeger said. "I probably owe you a lot more than that. You did me a good turn last week. Sure appreciate it."
"You're talking about Debby," Joe said. "I thought you'd like her."
"Debby?" Kroeger seemed puzzled. "I don't know anyone named Debby."
"Then she didn't show up?"
"No one named Debby," Kroeger said, and then he frowned. "Let's forget about it."
"If it wasn't Debby-"
"I said forget it, kid. Thanks for bringing over the order. I've got some things I've got to do so I guess you better go."
He was practically pushed back into the hall, and the door was closed, with an insistent, answered question pounding in his head. II it hadn't been Debby who showed up here about a week ago, then who was it? Who was it?
He could make a guess. Noel. But that was impossible. Noel wouldn't have taken an assignment like this. She wasn't that kind of person. Chuck had boasted he had taken her but he had just been talking. Joe was sure of that. It couldn't have been her who had showed up. It had to be someone else.
Someone else, but who? He couldn't reach any answer. He was thoroughly puzzled. Of course he could ask Noel what had happened when he saw her again, this fall If she came back.
If she came back? Now, why had he put it that way? What had happened to Noel, anyhow? Debby had said she went away somewhere to take a job; that sounded phony.
Near the drug store as he returned from Kroeger's he met Mary Riley. She was leaning against the wall of a building and no one could have looked more disconsolate. Her shoulders sagged. Her eyes were red as though she had been crying.
He stopped and said, "Hello, Mary."
She looked up at him looked away, and she didn't say anything.
He tried a question on her. "Mary, you were a good friend of Noel's. What's happened to her?"
Mary's voice was low. "She's dead."
"Dead!" Joe frowned at her. "Dead? Why do you say she's dead?"
"I just know she is."
"But how do you know?"
"If she wasn't dead she would come back to me. I know she would. She loved me."
"She's got a job somewhere. At least that's what Debby says."
Mary shook her head. "No. She's dead. She wouldn't have left me, ever. She loved me."
"Nuts!"
"You just don't understand," Mary said. "You're like everyone else. You only see what's on the surface. Noel and I had a beautiful love for each other. It was eternal."
Joe walked on. He wondered if Mary was sick. She sounded that way. A crazy, immature girl, with a crush on Noel. It didn't even occur to him that Mary was showing the traits of a Lesbian. She was still only fourteen. To a guy of seventeen, she seemed very young.
At eleven o'clock, the next morning, Debby was in bed with Bill. This had become an every other day pastime, and in a way was worth-while, for Bill had started paying her five dollars for every time. He was worried that he couldn't keep the payments up, but he didn't need to be concerned. At eleven-thirty, as he and Debby were going to town, Fan would show up, unexpectedly, and there would be an explosion. As a result, he would land out on the street and Debby would find herself in the hands of the juvenile authorities.
At eleven there, at eight A.M. Pacific Time, Serena was boarding a plane to Hawaii. She was clinging to the arm of Oliver, a man who was in his sixties. He didn't look very well. He wasn't very well, but with expert care he might live for a long time. "I will never neglect you again," Oliver said. "From now on I am going to devote myself to no one but you." And Serena said, "That's wonderful, darling." She had to say that. He was a very rich man.
At eleven, Sue was still in bed. Last night, just after nine, Arthur had come by. He would probably be by tonight, and for a number of nights. Eventually, however, his visits would slacken and she would have a little free time. She was looking forward to that. And she wasn't sure she was going back to work. She thought Howard might help her financially, and there were other men in the world. Interesting men, well heeled. She smiled and relaxed, and waited.
At eleven, Noel splashed in the pool. In a little while she would get out and sun herself. She was acquiring a very nice tan. Matt thought her tan was fine. She liked this place on the island; Matt was very kind. She was enjoying herself very much. How long she could stay here she didn't know, maybe only as long as Matt wanted her. But she would worry about the future some other time.
At eleven, Olga stood on the corner, waiting for Chuck to walk past. Last night and the night before she had been alone, but it was foolish to be alone if Chuck was available, or if he could get someone else to spend the evening with her. She waited patiently, a fixed smile on her face, and a ten dollar bill in her hand. After all, ten dollars wasn't much for what she wanted.
And at eleven, Joe woke up, and he wondered why he had to get up. Serena was gone, Noel was gone, Sue would have nothing more to do with him, Olga had lost interest in him. The world had gone sour.
But things might change. There was always a chance of that. How could he guess what was ahead? He got up and started dressing.