OCR Text |
Show So couldn't avoid Ross though. Did I or didn't I? he kept asking, until finally I said, "Yeah, I did." Ross looked at me, old skeptical Ross. "It was just swell," I said. "Really swell.'" Yeah? said Ross, but he said nothing more until one afternoon when we were in Applegate's for a milkshake, Avis putting an extra scoop in for each of us, and when she set them on the counter, the big glasses full and the steel mixing cans still half full, so richly thick that we needed spoons, a gift from her, then Ross leaned on the counter and without lowering,his f voice asked her if I hid done it with her. She reared back, startled, and glanced about to see if anyone had heard. "None of your business." I had never seen her perturbed before. Ross shrugged. "I just wondered. If he says he did, I guess he did all right." Quickly she glanced at me, at us, and then dropped her eyes and pretended to be very busy. I wondered how many boys told on Avis, and how many told what had not eventf happened, and if she knew they did. Certainly in that quicki glance she must have seen my situation, she must have seen upon my face my shame, my guilt, my terror of being exposed, for whenshe looked up again at Ross she shrugged, putting on a bold, impudent grin: "You jealous?" "Hell yes. I never did get my vanilla milktf shake, twin size. With a. c.MHf oiA Xcp- "Too bad, ain't it? Some do and some don't." She winked at me. Ross grinned knowingly and slugged me on the arm. "Old Chess. Well, well." Still I can remember how she sat in silence beside me those summer nights, awaiting me as I parked and then slid nearer to her to begin my night's work, fumbling, callous. I remember the smell of her hair and her extraordinary patience and the weighty feel of her breast, how hot that skin, how smooth against my calloused hand . I remember that steady throb from the dark within her against my hand, and how stupidly unaware I was then of the riches of her hidden heart. |