A Hole in the Universe - Mary McGarry Morris [88]
“I don’t know about you two.” She laughed. “I mean, at this point, why not just call a plumber? Or is this some macho trip you’re both on? Some kind of plumbing bonding thing?”
He forced a weak laugh.
“I mean, after all—three nights in a row! Is somebody not getting the message here?”
Yes, you, he thought sadly.
“I’m only kidding, Gordon. Actually, I’m glad you’re spending time together. Dennis just seems so much happier lately.” She told him how glad she was he’d come to Jimmy’s party and how great it was seeing Delores again. “She’s such a wonderful woman. Oh, and I almost forgot. Father Hensile—he enjoyed meeting you, and he’d really like to get together with you sometime. He’s a very nice person,” she continued when he didn’t say anything.
“He seemed to be.”
“I think you’d enjoy his company.”
“I’m just a little busy right now.”
“What about this weekend? Saturday? We could—”
“No. I can’t. I’ll be doing yardwork. The roses—the leaves, they’ve got black spots on them.”
It was Sunday. Gordon looked out the window again: raining and still no sign of clearing. Dennis would be here soon. Gordon had called him at home this morning and said he needed to talk to him. Lisa had called last night looking for Dennis. He had told her he’d be with Gordon most of the day. When it was almost dinnertime and she hadn’t heard from Dennis, she’d called Gordon to say she and the kids were going to pick up pizzas at Lida’s and they’d be right over with them. She’d asked Gordon what he liked—sausage, pepperoni, anchovies?
“Dennis isn’t here,” he told her.
“Oh, darn! It would have been fun. I wish I’d thought of it earlier. What time did he leave?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’m going to hang up. Maybe I can catch him on the car phone.” She called back minutes later. “That’s funny—he’s not answering. But I’ll keep trying, and if I do get him, I’ll call you right back.”
Her next call came two hours later. It was seven-thirty. She hadn’t heard from Dennis and she was worried. She wanted to know exactly when he’d left there. Gordon said he didn’t know. Wasn’t sure. Couldn’t remember. There was a pause. “You’re lying to me,” she said. “He hasn’t been there at all today, has he?”
“I—”
“Tell me. Tell me the truth, Gordon. Has Dennis been there today? Has he?”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Lie to me. Tell me he’s been with you all day. Since early this morning. Tell me he’s there right now and he’s in the middle of something and he just can’t come to the phone right now. That’s all you have to tell me. That’s all I need to hear.”
He couldn’t tell if she was laughing or crying.
“That’s how ridiculous this is. How pathetic I am.”
“Don’t cry. Please don’t cry, Lisa. He’ll be home soon. Something probably happened, that’s all,” he said, though he doubted she could hear him, she was crying so hard.
Even with the wipers on high, rain blurred the windshield. Dennis floored the accelerator. He drove at the same furious speed of his thoughts. Lisa didn’t believe that he had run into an old classmate yesterday and they’d gone into Boston for a few drinks and ended up meeting Charlie’s cousin in some bar, where they watched the Sox-Yankees game on television. Charlie who?
Ross.
From where? she had demanded.
Dental school, he had said, annoyed to be caught, annoyed to be doubted when it had always been his right to be believed, annoyed that she not only insisted he give her details, but annoyed that she would write them down, as what? Proof, evidence, of what? That he didn’t love his family, that he wasn’t doing the best he possibly could under the circumstances, and now Jilly said he had to choose, her or them, which of course was no choice at all, even though he didn’t want to lose Jilly, couldn’t bear the thought of her leaving him, but his family was the most important part of his life, as well as the most complicating. There wasn’t anything on earth he wouldn’t do for them. It was the pressure he couldn’t take, the constant pressure of