Chapter 12

One night toward the end of November, Peg came into April's room. April had gone to bed and turned out her light. Peg sat down on the edge of the bed and stopped April when she reached for the light switch.

"Leave it alone, honey. I can't even stand myself in hair curlers and face grease. Besides, I'll only a be minute."

April sat up and hugged her knees beneath the bed clothing, her back against the headboard. A match flared brightly as Peg lit a cigarette. She exhaled noisily then spoke abruptly.

"You and I are in one of the finest ruts I've ever seen."

April laughed. "Well, I must say it's a busy one."

"Still a rut. Something's indicated."

"What?"

"A party. We fill these empty rooms with bodies, male and female. We drink, eat and maybe do a little dancing-" .

"I'd love it. But-"

"But nothing. We've had faculty teas and student dances coming out of our ears. Now let's throw a whinger for ourselves. Okay?"

"Forget the curlers and grease," April said and turned on the light. "Whom would we invite?"

"Strict limit of two teachers-you and me. Beyond that, any other profession, size or sex."

April's face fell. "I don't know anyone outside the school."

"Just the point. More people, especially men, should see you, honey." Peg's fingers caressed April's arm briefly, then withdrew. "I think I can scrounge up a passable list. Leave it to me?"

"If you leave the rest of the planning to me."

"A deal."

Peg threw bare arms wide, yawned luxuriously. "Honey, you and I will dress like a couple of femmes fatales. If we're lucky, nothing very good will come of that." Peg's magnificent body seemed to exude vitality through the thin material of her negligee. She stroked her hands down along her hips in a frankly sensuous gesture. "I think I could make die fatale grade, don't you?"

"Never a doubt."

Peg's eyes traveled over April's bare shoulders, lingered long on the curves of the barely concealed breasts, slid away. She grinned.

"Of course, mine's an older model. So you'll give me competition like I've never had before. Honey, it's a shame the way you waste that body."

"Not waste, Peg. It's just that the right person has to come along."

Once more Peg lightly touched her arm. Her fingers lingered an instant and pulled away. She smiled and stood up, a light in her eyes.

"Okay, honey. That's all for tonight. Think it over and we'll compare plans in the morning."

When she left, April turned out the light. She could still feel the warm touch of Peg's hand on her arm and it bothered her. Did she do Peg an injustice-was she experiencing nameless tendencies in herself? She sat a moment in die darkness, frowning and troubled. Then she shook her head. No-her human relations were normal. She eased slowly down under the covers, dismissing the troubling thoughts.

The next two weeks seemed to fly. Preparations for the party grew more exciting to April with each day. When Peg showed her the guest list, April was surprised at the extent of Peg's acquaintance among the unmarried men and women in the area. Not another teacher was on the list.

"I might add a name or two the last minute," Peg said.

"Heavens-where will we put even these?"

"There's always room for one more."

Classes at school also kept April busy. As the term progressed, work intensified. Time grew short for the laggards to catch up. April felt pleased that there were not many backward students in her classes but even those she had required extra attention and effort on her part.

Bill Collins still took her time, though he had begun to work on his own. She could leave him alone in the lab with no fear that he would fall behind. His grades were high and not only in chemistry.

Once, in the teachers' section of the school cafeteria, April overheard a remark that secretly elated her. At the end of the long table where she sat, a math instructor compared notes with a colleague from the English department. April's head lifted sharply when she heard, "You say Bill Collins stands in the top five in your class?"

"I hardly believe it, but that's right." The math teacher shook his head wonderingly. "When he came into my class the first day, I thought I'd have a real problem. But he's taking to math like a duck to water."

"Let's hope so. I wonder who or what reached Collins?"

They stood up and moved away, leaving April to finish her coffee in a pleased, triumphant glow. So she had been right.

On the afternoon before the party, the school played its last football game with its traditional rival and won. The season ended in a burst of glory and excitement spread over the whole town. April and Peg felt the gala atmosphere as they dressed for the evening.

Peg hummed the school song as she came down the hallway from the shower. She looked in on April and gave a wolf whistle that brought April around with a start.

"Just sizing up the competition, honey. Too bad skimpy costumes went out with Roman orgies. You'd stand them on their heads in bra and panties."

April laughed self-consciously. "I don't think I'd enjoy seeing people standing on their heads."

"How about just drooling?" Peg asked and disappeared.

Dressed at last in a clinging sheath with a low-cut, square neckline, April gave herself a final, judicious survey in the mirror. Satisfied, she hurried out into the hall and downstairs to make last minute checks.

Soon guests began to arrive. Though most of them were strangers to her, April soon found herself at ease with diem. They ranged in age from just under thirty to a little above forty, she judged. Some of their names she had seen on business establishments around town-others were from neighboring communities. Peg really got around, April thought in some amazement and began to understand Peg's many phone calls and absences at night or over weekends.

Before long, the big main room was filled and the overflow moved into the kitchen and hallway. April and Peg busied themselves mixing drinks until Peg tagged one of the men to act as bartender for a time. Late guests showed up and April began to feel a wonderful relaxation from the steady routine of the past months.

She heard the door chimes as she moved down the hallway toward the kitchen. She veered to answer it and threw the door wide. Her welcoming smile faltered when she saw Judson Gray, bundled in an overcoat.

He grinned. "Good evening, April. I hear there's a party going on."

She recovered. "Of course. Come in." She indicated the little hall closet. "Coats in there. Will you excuse me? Big errand."

She fled before he could answer. She saw Peg in close conversation with the volunteer bartender and gave her a covert signal, turned to check the hors d'oeuvres.

When Peg came up, April whispered, "Judson Gray just came."

"Why not? I invited him."

"I thought you said no school people except us."

"He is not a teacher, honey. He's school board. Besides, he's unattached and very popular." Peg's voice dropped almost to a whisper. "I did it with mahce aforethought honey-for your benefit."

"Mine?"

"The Bill Collins business. Talk's getting around. Jud will probably agree with what you're doing-if he hears it first from you."

"But I don't have to tell him anything."

"No-not yet. But don't let his coming spoil your fun."

"I wish you had warned me."

"You left the guests to me, honey."

Peg smiled and walked away. April could only mingle with the guests. She tried to avoid Jud and succeeded for a while but finally he cornered her.

He joined her conversation with another guest.

The other man asked Jud, "How's that business with the school board coming along?"

Jud frowned. "Still pending."

"I don't see how you can schedule more classes, Jud. The school's crowded as it is."

"We have to. But right now I'm not talking too much about the project."

"Oh-oh-I've let something slip."

"Not really." Jud turned to April, took her arm and she had to move along with him. He found a deserted spot near one of the windows. "How is school, April?"

"Going very well."

"The board has some good reports on you."

"That's nice. I hope I'm doing a job."

"You are. How's Bill Collins?"

She asked warily, "How do you mean?"

"How's he getting along? I hear he's taming down considerably. His father even mentioned it."

"He'll have good grades in everything, I think."

Jud's eyes sharpened over the rim of his glass. "That'll be to your credit. Mr. Collins says you're coaching Bill in advanced work."

"Well-he wanted it. I didn't think I should let that chance go by."

Jud shook his head in wonder. "How do you do it?"

"Charm."

She joked but he took it seriously. "Knowing Bill, I'd say that's about all that would catch him. Keep up die good work but watch him."

"There's nothing to watch," she snapped and then tried to smooth it over. "What's this extra class bit?"

She waited and he finally said reluctantly, "If I tell you, will you keep it a secret for a few days?"

"If you wish."

"I do. I'm trying to work several angles at once to get the town moving again. I've about persuaded the factory owners they'll go along with any reasonable deal from the community. I'm trying to push local skills and talents through the store-stuff made right here we can sell right here and maybe distribute over the country."

"That sounds wonderful. But where does the school come in?"

"Retraining program-for our unskilled workers. They know electronic components but not the theory behind them. With a little additional instruction they'll be able to apply skills they already possess to consumer products. If the town council will retool the factory for consumer items instead of government work, we may soon have us a going town with a payroll."

"That would be wonderful."

"Oh, sure, but I told you once the town fathers don't like new ideas. They're balking at this one. Whoever heard of a grown man going to school? Besides, what about the cost of all the machines? Actually, we've got many of them right now in the school shop." He broke off short. "Hey, I'm talking more than I intended until the project was all wrapped up."

She thought of her program with Bill Collins and smiled. "I think you'll win."

"Maybe I should have you at the next board meeting. I need support."

Just then a blonde with a leathery face and striking figure came up and the conversation ended. April made her excuses and left despite Jud's gesture of protest.

The party was a success. The people mingled, knew one another and had fun. April found herself cornered several times by men, was asked for dates. She refused them without quite knowing why. She could not imagine herself with free time for dating-yet she had spent many lonely evenings.

Judson caught her again in the hallway. He blocked her passage. "You've been much too busy."

"I have to take care of our guests."

"I'd say they're taking care of themselves-except for me. I have something on my mind."

"Oh?"

"You-and a dinner."

"I couldn't."

He now stood very close to her, asked softly, "Is something wrong with me?"

She remembered that night at the Corners all too vividly but saw no point in bringing it up. Surely he, too, remembered.

She tried to pass off the question. "Nothing's wrong with you. I'm just very busy."

"Not that busy, April." He leaned toward her and his eyes probed into hers. Something in her face made him draw back. He said, in polite withdrawal, "Some other time, then."

He turned and walked back into the main room, mingling with the others. During the rest of the party she saw him only across a room. Not once did he look at her.

When the last guests had gone, Peg closed the door behind them and sank against it with a tired sigh. April, seated wearily in a chair, heard the final car come to life outside and purr off down the street.

Peg dropped onto a chair and looked over the cocktail and highball glasses that seemed to be everywhere, at ashtrays piled high with debris.

"Do we have the strength to clean up or leave it until tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

"Amen." Peg lit a cigarette. "You made a hit with the men, honey. Get any offers?" April nodded. "I turned them down."

"Why?"

"I never did give a date the first time I met a man. Makes a girl look too eager."

Peg sighed. "Wait till you're as old as I am. But why did you turn down Jud Gray?"

"How did you know I did?"

"I was seated on the dark stairway with-it doesn't matter who. I heard the thing between you."

April started to explain, knew she could not to this worldly woman.

After a moment's silence Peg said, "You'll be lucky if he asks you again."

"I don't care."

"You will. Take me, honey. I've never had a chance with him. I draw the secret dates with faculty or board members, or with some of the men you saw here tonight.

But that young and handsome stuff? Never so much as a pass."

"He can throw a good pass, all right," April blurted before she thought.

The cigarette Peg was lifting to her lips paused. Then it completed its journey and Peg puffed on it. "I've met just a few girls who didn't like passes from men."

April stood up. "Let's forget it-and the clean-up. I just want to drop into bed and sleep forever."