kedlikethis
sheleftthebedrooandasshepassedthroughthekitchen,sheuldslltheffeeitallydrinkonadaylikethis,especiallysinceitilltheafteoon,butinsteadofpouringacup,sheretrievedthelastbottleofherefrigerator,thengrabbedtherkscrerol,shesahatpaulhad
startedthefire,andithadsoho,asifantiouthallheulddoareather“tooch”shefinallyasked
paulshookhishead,hiseyesneverleavinghers“no,notatallyoulookbeautiful”adriennegaveashysle“thankyou,”shesaidhervoiceostalongagotheyntinuedtostareateaightbenice”
paulclearedhisthroat“thatsoundsgreatetoopenthebottle”“unlessyoulikebitsofrkinyourterineverdidgetthehangofthosethings”hischair,shehandedtherkscreheopenedthebottleents,andadrienneheldbothglassesashepouredhesetthebottleonthetableandtookhisglassastheysatintherockersshenoticedtheyogetherthantheyhadbeenthedaybeforeadrienookasipofitselftheflickeringfiredeshadorainingitselfagainstthewalls“thisislovely,”shesaid“iladyoudeafire”
intheingair,pauleshestotakealittlelongereveryyearfortoup”“evene”
helaughedsoftly“iwish”
“youseeobedoingokay”
“youdontseeintheings”
“butdontyourunthen”
“beforethat,ianoveihobblelikeanoldnallthatrunninghastakenitstollovertheyears”astheyvedtheirrockersbackandforth,heuldseethereflectionofthefireflickeringinhereyes“haveyouheardfroourkidstoday”heasked,tryingnottostareatadrienooobviouslyshenodded“theycalledthisingonthsnow”
“soundsliketheyllhavefun”
“yeah,jacksgoodforthatheygotovisit,healissingoutonalotofthings,too,andiyoucantgettheseyearsback”“iknourred,“believe,iknow”
shehavesaidthat
heshookhishead“itsokayeventhoughyoue,iknoissedrethanitryingtodosothingaboutitnohopeit”“itwill”
“youthinkso”
“iknoplishesjustabouteverythingyousetouttodo”“itsnotthateasythisti”
“”
“rkandiarentonverygoodterthesedaysactually,sorethanafeoeachotherinyears”shelookedathinotsuretosay“ididntrealizeithatlong,”shefinallyoffered“hoethingiroudtoadt”
“atfirst,ian”
“ihavenoidea”helookedather“anysuggestionsyouseeohaveaprettygoodhandleontheparentthing”“notreallyiguessidhavetoknoisfirst”
“itsalongstory”
“alldayifyoutotalkaboutit”
paultookadrink,asifsuoninghisresolvethen,overthenexthalfhour,andtotheaehehefire“thatsatoughone,”sheadtted
“iknow”
“butthisisntallyourfault,youknotakestokeepafeudgoing”“thatsprettyphilosophical”
“itsstilltrue,though”
“shouldido”
“iguessidsaynottopushtoohardithinkyouprobablyneedtogettoknosbetwo”hesled,thinkingaboutherarttheirtheris”
“theydontbutitillhopeful”
helaughed,thinkingherskinlookedradiantinthegentlelightalogsparked,sendingtrailsupthechieypauladdedreoboththeirglasses“hoostayinecuador”sheasked
“iotsureyetiguessthatsuptorkandhoethere”hesher“butidsayillbethereatleastayearthatsitoldthedirector,anyway”“andthenyoulleback”
heshrugged“akeupchingbedandbreakfastsheooftown”shelaughed“ithinkyoudgetprettyboredhthat”“butidbegoodifastog”
“true,butyoudhavetoleatook”
“goodpoint”paulglanovetorothere”
athisthebloodrushtohercheekssheshookherheadandtuedaway“dontsaythat”
“say”
“thingsyoudontan”
“akesyouthinkidontanit”
sheeethiseyes,nor,heuldseeherchestrisingandfallingtoeandtoeandw
