<TD></TD></TABLE>
together
“butiaskedheroutagainanye,andirealizedthatsheoreigottoknooreilikedher,andthenafteraaybeihherididntcareaboutthatthingonherfacedidntcareaboutitbackthen,andididntcareaboutitlastyear,eitherbutshedidshealwaysdid”
hepaused
“eshe,thatthinggreoreidontknoethesathingbutallkids,evenjohntheoneyoutthoughtsheoroundandsheettherestofthetiandilovedherforthat,andostoftheti,butshedeiteasyforandiadesurethateveryonearoundhereknehatithoughtthatiguessit”
paulreinedtionlessasroberton
“shesaorthings,andithadthosebeforeandafterpicturesithinkshejustgotitinherheadthatsheuldgetridofitonceandforallandthate”
roberttpaulseyes
“thereind,idtellherididntes,idfindherinthebathrooouchingherface,oridhearhercrying,andikneorethananythingshedlivedyboat,andoingidontthinkideverseenhersohappyaboutanythinginherlife,andjustseeingherthateknoetoseeherjustassoonassheeherlastewere”
robertlookedatpaul,kingsurehehadhisattention
“shesaid,alllife,iveedtoheprettyforyouandalliuldthinkhatshealwayshadbeen”
paulbohoughhetriedtosherechinhisthroat
“butyoudidntknoeinforanoperation,ortheladyilyorethanthatsheeaedrethanthatbylivingthelifeshedid”
roberttorrelsontappedthelastofhisashesintotheashtray,thenputoutthecigarette
“youhelastpersonsheevertalkedto,thelastpersonshesahebestladyintheevenknotingthatsinkin“butnowyoudo”
theuch,andantlaterhewasgone
afterhearingroberttorrelsonhadsaid,adrienouchedpaulsface,dabbingaears
“youokay”
“idontknokindofnurightnow”
“thatsnotsurprisingittoabsorb”
“yes,”paulsaid,“itwas”
“areyougladyoucaandthathetoldyouthosethings”
“yesandnoitportanttohihatiknogladforthatbutitkessad,tootheylovedeauch,andnowshesgone”
“itdoesntseeair”
sheofferedaile“itisntthegreaterthelove,thegreaterthetragedyentsalogether”
“evenforyouand”
“foreveryone,”shesaid“thebeste”
hepulledherontohislaphekissedherlips,thenputhisararoundher,holdingher,andforalongti,theystayedinthatposition
butastheyakinglovelaterthatevening,adrienneseba,sheuldntstopthetearsastheyslippedsilentlydoheeks
fifteen
adrienneoinghedseenhercryingduringthenightbuthadsaidnothing,knototearsasraggedandunabletosleepforhoursinstead,helayas,nuzzlingagainsther,notakeupfortheyeartheybetogether
shedfoldedhis,theonesthathadbeeninthedryer,andpaulpulledout,hebroughthisthingsdonearthefrontdooradriennebledeggs,acupofffeeontheunterbesideheredinred
“hi,”heventured
“hi,”shesaid,tuingaorequiightebreakfastbeforeyougo”
“thankyou,”hesaid
“ibroughtathersfrooe,andifyoueffeeforthetrip,youcantakeithyou”
“thankyou,butthatsokayillhefine”
shekeptstirringtheeggs“ifyouaupleofsandhrohosetogether,too”
paulvedtoethinglaterandtobehonest,idoubtifillhehungryanyway”
shedidntseeobelistening,andheputhishandonherbacrying
“hey
“ikay,”shewhispered
“yousure”
shenoddedandsniffedassherevedthepanfrohebuerdabbingathereyes,shestillrefusedtolookathiseeingherthisindedhiftheirfirstenunterontheporch,andhefelthisthroatnstrictheuldntbelievethatlessthanahen
“adriennedont
shelookedupathihen
“dontountcanihelpitifidontthistoendjustyet”
“idontei
... </P></TD>
together
“butiaskedheroutagainanye,andirealizedthatsheoreigottoknooreilikedher,andthenafteraaybeihherididntcareaboutthatthingonherfacedidntcareaboutitbackthen,andididntcareaboutitlastyear,eitherbutshedidshealwaysdid”
hepaused
“eshe,thatthinggreoreidontknoethesathingbutallkids,evenjohntheoneyoutthoughtsheoroundandsheettherestofthetiandilovedherforthat,andostoftheti,butshedeiteasyforandiadesurethateveryonearoundhereknehatithoughtthatiguessit”
paulreinedtionlessasroberton
“shesaorthings,andithadthosebeforeandafterpicturesithinkshejustgotitinherheadthatsheuldgetridofitonceandforallandthate”
roberttpaulseyes
“thereind,idtellherididntes,idfindherinthebathrooouchingherface,oridhearhercrying,andikneorethananythingshedlivedyboat,andoingidontthinkideverseenhersohappyaboutanythinginherlife,andjustseeingherthateknoetoseeherjustassoonassheeherlastewere”
robertlookedatpaul,kingsurehehadhisattention
“shesaid,alllife,iveedtoheprettyforyouandalliuldthinkhatshealwayshadbeen”
paulbohoughhetriedtosherechinhisthroat
“butyoudidntknoeinforanoperation,ortheladyilyorethanthatsheeaedrethanthatbylivingthelifeshedid”
roberttorrelsontappedthelastofhisashesintotheashtray,thenputoutthecigarette
“youhelastpersonsheevertalkedto,thelastpersonshesahebestladyintheevenknotingthatsinkin“butnowyoudo”
theuch,andantlaterhewasgone
afterhearingroberttorrelsonhadsaid,adrienouchedpaulsface,dabbingaears
“youokay”
“idontknokindofnurightnow”
“thatsnotsurprisingittoabsorb”
“yes,”paulsaid,“itwas”
“areyougladyoucaandthathetoldyouthosethings”
“yesandnoitportanttohihatiknogladforthatbutitkessad,tootheylovedeauch,andnowshesgone”
“itdoesntseeair”
sheofferedaile“itisntthegreaterthelove,thegreaterthetragedyentsalogether”
“evenforyouand”
“foreveryone,”shesaid“thebeste”
hepulledherontohislaphekissedherlips,thenputhisararoundher,holdingher,andforalongti,theystayedinthatposition
butastheyakinglovelaterthatevening,adrienneseba,sheuldntstopthetearsastheyslippedsilentlydoheeks
fifteen
adrienneoinghedseenhercryingduringthenightbuthadsaidnothing,knototearsasraggedandunabletosleepforhoursinstead,helayas,nuzzlingagainsther,notakeupfortheyeartheybetogether
shedfoldedhis,theonesthathadbeeninthedryer,andpaulpulledout,hebroughthisthingsdonearthefrontdooradriennebledeggs,acupofffeeontheunterbesideheredinred
“hi,”heventured
“hi,”shesaid,tuingaorequiightebreakfastbeforeyougo”
“thankyou,”hesaid
“ibroughtathersfrooe,andifyoueffeeforthetrip,youcantakeithyou”
“thankyou,butthatsokayillhefine”
shekeptstirringtheeggs“ifyouaupleofsandhrohosetogether,too”
paulvedtoethinglaterandtobehonest,idoubtifillhehungryanyway”
shedidntseeobelistening,andheputhishandonherbacrying
“hey
“ikay,”shewhispered
“yousure”
shenoddedandsniffedassherevedthepanfrohebuerdabbingathereyes,shestillrefusedtolookathiseeingherthisindedhiftheirfirstenunterontheporch,andhefelthisthroatnstrictheuldntbelievethatlessthanahen
“adriennedont
shelookedupathihen
“dontountcanihelpitifidontthistoendjustyet”
“idontei
... </P></TD>