Executioner's Song, The - Norman Mailer [35]
When it was time to leave the park to pick Gary up at work, there was a light in Nicole's eye. It had come in just at the thought of picking him up. So Sue didn't need anybody to tell her how good Nicole was feeling. If Nicole was that much in love, then, no matter her first impression, Sue was ready to change her mind about the guy.
Of course, now that Rikki and she were split, Sue had no transportation. So she went along with Nicole to Lindon, and, in fact, began to like Gary on the way back. He was sure agreeable. Kept on about how good he felt to be picked up by two gorgeous women.
It was a compliment. Her belly was big. Sue was still dating once in a while these days, and had even gone dancing once, but she was big and Rikki had sure done it to her. First he complained her IUD hurt him, then she took it out, then he made her pregnant. She was the youngest of ten kids, the outcast at the bottom of her own family, and now Rikki had left her.
If it hadn't been for Gary's compliments, at this minute, Sue Baker would have sunk right into the swamp of misery.
Still, Nicole had had a change of luck. So maybe there was a chance for herself as well. Maybe something terrific could come into your life any night at all.
After they dropped Sue off, Nicole showed Gary a pillow she had brought. To get close to him, Nicole always sat near the hump of the front seat rather than on the seat itself, and that was not very comfortable in the Mustang with its two bucket seats. She had finally gotten smart enough to bring a pillow today. Not only was it more comfortable, but she could sit with her hips raised, and so be tall enough to put an arm around his neck. He drove with his free hand in her lap, holding hands.
This day, as they pulled up to the store for shopping, he didn't get out but began to talk to her of his mother. He hadn't seen her for a long time, he explained, and she had arthritis bad and couldn't hardly walk. Gary stopped talking and tears came to his eyes. Nicole was amazed that he felt something so strong for his mother. She was amazed he could cry. She thought he was harder than that. She didn't say anything but sat close to him and touched his tears. Usually when she saw men cry it was disgusting. She'd had guys cry when she left them. She was good at turning herself off when they got like that, thought it was a weakness to cry over a girl. With Gary, she wasn't thinking about weakness. Wanted to do something for him. Snap her fingers, so to speak, and have his mother there.
They began to talk about going up to Portland for a visit. Maybe they could save a little, and make the drive in her car, or maybe his could last for the ride. Then, they got to talking about islands they could lease for 99 years. Gary said he didn't know that much concerning the subject but was going to get some information on it.
On workdays, he had to get up early, but he was used to that. She found it really okay to have him hugging her in the early morning dark and whispering he loved her. They both slept nude but he still had to lay hands on her to be sure she was there. Of course, that could be a problem. Nicole hardly enjoyed to kiss him then. He didn't smoke and his breath was good, but she smoked a lot and her mouth tasted awful at 5:30 A.M.
Before too long, she would get out of bed, go in the kitchen, fix him sandwiches, and set the coffee on. She had a real short little bathrobe which sometimes she wore, or she'd run around nude. He'd sit and drink his instant breakfast of Carnation with a handful of vitamins. He was a vitamin freak and believed them