A Hole in the Universe - Mary McGarry Morris [172]
“Pretty good,” Jada answered. “Long as you got a couple hours.” She laughed.
“It’s not that bad, is it?” Gordon checked his watch.
“Actually, he’s doing great.” Delores patted Gordon’s shoulder, a gesture Dennis found oddly repulsive. Those two big bodies, he thought, all that flesh, one against the other.
“Every time, he just gets better and better,” she was saying.
“She says I’m too cautious.” Gordon smiled at her.
Dennis dug his boot into the snowy rim of the sidewalk.
“Yeah, he’s always riding the brake,” the girl interjected, hands up, swaying from side to side. “Like, whoa, watch out! Any minute now we’re gonna crash!”
“Jada.” Delores touched her arm.
“Hey, I’m the backseat driver, right?” the girl said, but to Dennis, still trying to make him laugh.
“I don’t think so,” Delores said quietly.
Ignoring the girl, Dennis asked Delores how the dress shop was going. He knew she was either going to buy it or already had. Gordon was always so vague, it was hard to remember what he said, the little he did. Business was good, she said. She was bringing in a few new lines. Aiming for a younger, more hip clientele. Jesus, he thought with a glance at her red-velvet-and-fur bomber jacket. Her black-checked pants ended inches above her ankles. Lisa had come in the other day, she was saying. She’d bought a silk sweater for her mother, a birthday present.
“Hey, Thurm!” the girl shouted, then darted across the street toward a tall slouch of a boy shuffling by. Except for his orange knit cap, he was dressed in baggy black, hands deep in low-riding pockets. They stood on the corner. The girl’s arms flew as she talked.
“Who’s that?” Delores asked.
“Thurman Dominguez,” Gordon said, staring. It was a look Dennis hadn’t seen before, menacing and cold.
“Jada!” Delores called. She waited a minute, then called again to say they had to go. Ignoring her, the girl bounced with excitement and kept talking.
“Now what do I do?” Delores said under her breath.
“Get in the car,” Gordon said.
“I can’t just leave her.”
“She’ll come.”
She opened the door and the girl ran across the street and climbed in beside her.
They were led to the back booth of the bright little restaurant. As soon as they sat down, Gordon began to study the menu. Dennis asked if he was in that much of a rush.
“I’m sorry.” Gordon closed the menu. “I just wanted to see what they have. I really like Italian food.”
Maybe he liked it too much, Dennis said, laughing.
“I know.” Gordon patted his belly. “I’ve gotta do something about this.”
They talked for a few minutes about dieting. Dennis suggested he sign up at a gym. There was a Gold’s Gym near the plant. “It’s within walking distance. You could go after work, you know, an hour or so. Lift a little, put a couple miles in on the treadmill. Maybe even go early, before work. That’s really the best time. I don’t even think straight in the morning unless I’ve run a couple miles. . . .”
He has that look again, Dennis thought, that childlike courtesy. I can talk myself hoarse and those flat eyes just keep on looking at me. That big, implacable face, never disagreeing, for fear of what, an argument? A stir in the air? The energy it might take? These Saturday lunches were far more effort than they were worth. And boring as hell. Thankfully, today’s would have to be short. The receptionist was coming in for a while this afternoon to go over the new phone system. She was attracted to him. He could tell. Nothing like Jilly, of course. This one was older and married with a couple kids, two in college, not the type to have any illusions. No desperate need for a family. If anything, just the opposite: her husband bullied her, and the older son had what sounded like one hell of a drug problem. He had missed Jilly terribly at first, still did in a way, though the therapist said what he really missed was the excitement of being with someone who barely knew him, someone he could be a good person for, a confidante, someone he could help without being permanently committed to.
“Same with Lisa,” he added quickly, brightly,