The Dark Arena - Mario Puzo [6]
The enemy so far away, so utterly crushed, could no longer give them fear. The enemy was surrounded, occupied, starving, and melting away with disease, with no physical and moral strength ever to threaten than again. And when Mosca fell asleep in his chair, they, who all loved him, watched for a few minutes with a quiet, and almost tearful pleasure, almost not believing that he had traveled so far in time and place, and by some miracle bad returned, found his way back to safety unharmed.
It was the third night before Mosca could get Gloria alone. The second night had been spent at her house where his mother and Alf had settled details for the wedding with Gloria's sister and father, not really out of meddlesomeness but because of their joy and enthusiasm that everything had come out right They had all decided that the wedding would be as soon as possible but that it must wait until Walter had a steady job. Mosca had gone along more than willingly with the idea. And Alf had surprised Mosca. The timid Alf had grown into a confident, assured, sensible man and played the family head to perfection.
On that third night his mother and Alf had gone out and Alf had grinned and said, “Watch the clock, we'll be home at eleven.” His mother had pushed Alf out of the door and said, “If you go out with Gloria don't forget to lock the door.”
Mosca had been amused at the note of doubt in her voice, as if the thought of leaving him and Gloria alone in the house was against her better judgment. Good Christ, he thought, and he stretched out on the sofa.
He tried to relax but was too tense and had to get up and pour himself a drink. He stood at the window and smiled, wondering how it would be. He and Gloria had spent evenings together in a small hotel room the few weeks before he had gone overseas, but he could hardly remember now. He went to the radio and turned it on and then went into the kitchen to look at the clock. It was nearly eight-thirty. The bitch’ was a half hour late. He went to the window again but it was too dark now to see anything. As he turned away there was a knock on the door, and Gloria came into the apartment
“Hello, Walter,” she said, and Mosca noticed that her voice trembled slightly. She took off her coat. She had on a blouse with just a few large buttons, and with this a wide pleated skirt.
“Alone at last,” he said with a grin and stretched back on the sofa. “Fix a couple of drinks.” Gloria sat on the sofa and leaned over to kiss him. He put his hands on her breast, and they kissed for a long time. “Drinks coming up,” she said, and pulled away from him.
They drank. The radio was playing soffly and a floor lamp cast its soft yellow glow over the room. He lit two cigarettes and gave her one. They smoked and when he stubbed out his cigarette he saw that she still held on to hers. He took it away from her and carefully crushed it in the ash tray.
Mosca pulled Gloria down so that she lay across his body. He unbuttoned her blouse so that he could slip his hand inside her brassiere and then kissed her. He moved his hand down under her skirt.
Gloria sat up and pushed away from him. Mosca was surprised and instantly alert.
“I don't want to go all the way,” Gloria said. The girlish phrase irritated him and he reached for her impatiently. She stood up and away from him.
“No, I really mean it,” she said.
“What the hell,” Mosca said, “the two weeks before I went overseas were fine. What's wrong now?”
“I know.” Gloria smiled at him tenderly, and he felt a quick anger. “But then it was different. You were going away and I loved you. If I did it now if would only make you think less of me. Don't be mad, Walter, but Fve talked with Emmy about it. You were so different when you came back that I had to talk to somebody. And we both thought it would be best.”
Mosca lit a cigarette. “Your sister's stupid.”
“Please don't say things like that, Walter. I won't do what you want because I really love you.”
Mosca choked on his drink and tried hard not to laugh. “Look,” he said, “if we hadn't slept together that last two weeks