Executioner's Song, The - Norman Mailer [255]
KATHY MAYNARD No!
INTERVIEWER How long after he died did you know you were pregnant?
KATHY MAYNARD Ohhh, Why don't you bring me the peanut butter and the lid, okay? Uhhh, let's see I had missed one period but I wasn't worried about it because I had messed up before so . . .
INTERVIEWER So you found out about it two months later then?
KATHY MAYNARD Yeah.
INTERVIEWER You say that with a sigh—
KATHY MAYNARD Ohhh, kind of messed me up. Like I say, l married Les Maynard two weeks after Tim died so . . .
INTERVIEWER You mean you got married right after Tim died?
KATHY MAYNARD I met Les at Tim's funeral.
INTERVIEWER Did you know Les Maynard before or what?
KATHY MAYNARD Didn't even know who he was.
INTERVIEWER How come he was at the funeral?
KATHY MAYNARD He was one of Tim's friends. He knew Tim.
INTERVIEWER Right. So you met him at the funeral? What happened after that?
KATHY MAYNARD Uh huh. (pause) Well, I was staying with my cousin and her husband and Les came down-I stayed drunk for two weeks after Tim died . . .
INTERVIEWER Stayed drunk?
KATHY MAYNARD I did. (snickers)
INTERVIEWER On beer, whiskey or what?
KATHY MAYNARD Oh, you name it-we had it. I took all the money from Tim's funeral and just bought booze with it and Les stayed down there with me for two weeks and then we got married . . .
INTERVIEWER Why did you marry Les?
KATHY MAYNARD Lonely. I guess I was scared.
INTERVIEWER And why did he marry you?
KATHY MAYNARD I have no idea-maybe 'cause he felt sorry for me.
INTERVIEWER You never discussed it with him?
KATHY MAYNARD No.
INTERVIEWER Arid how was your marriage with Les?
KATHY MAYNARD Awful.
INTERVIEWER From the very beginning?
KATHY MAYNARD Well, after I sobered up and realized what I had done I couldn't stand him to touch me and I-I would sit up at the cemetery by Tim's grave all the time and I threw my wedding ring on Tim's grave. So, I was pretty messed up-for a while I took off for a couple of months, which caused a lot of problems, started jealousy and stuff like that . . .
INTERVIEWER When you took off, did you start to make it with other guys?
KATHY MAYNARD Oh no.
INTERVIEWER You just took off to be by yourself?
KATHY MAYNARD Yeah.
INTERVIEWER So you were never in love with him.
KATHY MAYNARD It wasn't love. It couldn't have been. But I think it kind of grew to that. After we had the kids.
INTERVIEWER The first two?
KATHY MAYNARD Hmmm, hmmm [yes].
INTERVIEWER And how long did you live with him?
KATHY MAYNARD Couple of weeks.
INTERVIEWER You only lived with Les a couple of weeks, too. When was the last time you saw him?
KATHY MAYNARD Les? Ha, ha, day before yesterday.
INTERVIEWER So you see him periodically?
KATHY MAYNARD Hmmm, hmmm, he's with my best girl friend.
INTERVIEWER When he comes back, and sees you, does he make it with you or what?
KATHY MAYNARD Oh no.
INTERVIEWER Did you and Les ever get a divorce?
KATHY MAYNARD We're going through it now.
INTERVIEWER What does he do now?
KATHY MAYNARD Works at a service station out in Spanish.
INTERVIEWER Spanish Fork?
KATHY MAYNARD That's it.
Kathy had been waking Nicole up every morning. In order to get out early to see Gary, it was necessary for Kathy to come by. Most days, Nicole just couldn't wake herself.
On that special sunrise, Kathy took the coffeepot over, and knocked, and rang Nicole's bell, then looked through the window to see Nicole asleep. She was lying stomach down on the couch. You could see a little of her bare back. After Kathy had rung awhile, she tried the door. It was locked, which kind of bothered her. She returned the coffee to her own house, went back, and started calling Jeremy's name until he finally woke up and came out of the bedroom.
He was still half asleep and just flopped down on the couch beside Nicole. He was wearing a little pair of green pajamas and all he wanted was to get back to sleep. Finally, after fifteen minutes, she got Jeremy to open the door, but when Kathy went in and shook Nicole and turned her over, she didn't respond.
Nicole had fallen asleep on