Chapter 18D

Everything I did in New York had me thinking of Memphis.

My Saturday night date with Becky was a lot of fun. Innocent fun, despite the fact that Becky was such a lively, sweet tempered turn-on. I took her to see 'Bridge Over the River Kwai', which I'd seen before but wanted to see again.

It was an exercise in socializing. Merely sitting next to cute Becky in a movie house was sexually arousing. I couldn't help but feel affection for her, she was so likeable and bright. But my emotions were with Martha and Ronnie. I knew then that the two women had spoiled me thoroughly with their affection and passion. It seemed inconceivable that anything could be better, or even worth the effort; that thought had me wondering what I'd do when I returned to Memphis, where there were no Marthas or Ronnies in sight.

Becky was home by ten-thirty. She introduced me to her folks, who waited up for her. I chatted with them for several minutes, during which all they talked about was Martha, whom they knew and whom they praised lavishly, telling me Martha should leave Columbia and start a private, professional consulting operation with like minded partners. Becky's parents were quite liberal in their beliefs and politics. When I left their home I was convinced more than ever that returning to Memphis would be like returning to prison, for me.

On the subway back to Martha's I knew I was working myself into another funk about Memphis. I resisted my own gloomy anger, realizing it would only worsen my last days in New York.

When I returned to Martha's all I wanted to do was lounge about the place with her. She was in bed with a few of her papers, getting ready for returning to work Monday. When I was ready for bed she put everything away and we talked about my date with Becky. I mentioned that Becky's folks talked about a private career for Martha, and Martha told me she'd been thinking about it and would soon have to make some serious decisions.

With the lights out I lay watching Martha sleep, unable to sleep myself. I kept thinking how great Martha would look as she traveled about the city in that new coat. Like Ronnie, I could hardly wait for Sunday night.

Sunday morning I went bird watching with Ronnie. As we had done before, we soon parted from the Audubon group and went our own way. Ronnie sat on a big granite boulder under a group of trees and watched while I took my run in a small, grassy clearing. She told me, "You run. I'll coach from up here."

I started jogging in a wide circle. From atop the boulder, Ronnie cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted at me, "Hey, c'mon! Faster! I can do better than that!"

I ran another lap around the clearing, working up a good sweat. Ronnie yelled at me, "Hey! You're hardly movin'!" and she pointed at me and laughed.

I kept thinking, I love you, Ronnie. I love both of you.

Ronnie and I had worked out our plan. Martha was to think that she'd go to dinner with Ronnie and tell Ronnie that I was tied up with something until they came home, while I'd be at Martha's setting up for Ronnie's surprise birthday. Ronnie's birthday wasn't until February, but I would be in Memphis then. I told Martha we'd have a small dinner for her own birthday next week, before I left for Memphis.

Sunday afternoon I took a nap. I woke up, lying on my face, as Martha crawled onto the bed and settled onto my back with her head on my shoulder.

She said, "Hi. I hate to wake you up, but I have to go out with Ronnie soon."

"Okay."

She kissed my neck. "You gonna get it all set up while we're gone?"

"Yep."

She kissed my neck again. "Tired?"

"Not really. I'm waking up."

She kissed my neck again. "Well, I could help wake you up."

I chuckled, and I rolled over and let her settle onto my chest. I said, "You don't want to save something for tonight?"

"Oh, I'd save a little."

I looked at her face. She was smiling at me, impishly sensuous.

I said, "Are you going crazy again?"

"Mm-hm. I came in here a few times and watched you sleeping."

"That made you crazy?"

"Sometimes it does."

"I confess. Sometimes I do the same thing."

"Mm? Then why didn't you do something about it?"

"Next time, I will."

"You haven't done it yet. We only have a week."

"Then I'll do it all week."

"Mm. Okay."

I said, "C'mon, let me up. It's almost time to get ready."

She didn't move. She looked at my mouth. "Okay."

"Come on, let me up."

"Okay." She remained still, on top of me.

"Hey. C'mon."

"Okay." She smiled at my mouth.

I said, "Don't say okay if you don't mean okay."

"Okay."

"So let me up."

She didn't say okay, she didn't say anything. She lay on me and grinned.

I kissed her, and her lovely mouth fed on mine for a moment, and then she ended the kiss and said, "Mm. Better."

While Martha and Ronnie were away I went to a bakery on Third Avenue and bought two small, decorated birthday cakes. One for Martha, one for Ronnie. The little box of candles was free. Ronnie had given me a key to her apartment, where I dug the boxes out of the oh-my-god room, stopping to pick up several articles that tumbled out when I opened the closet door. In Martha's apartment I set up the dining room table with the two cakes and the two boxes sitting in front of them, along with a third, smaller present that Ronnie had wrapped and that she had asked me to include with the others...

When Martha and Ronnie showed up at seven, the birthday candles were burning. One cake had a candy "Happy Birthday Martha" on it, the other had "Happy Birthday Ronnie." I stood in the kitchen waiting for them.

Martha entered the front door, telling Ronnie, "Steven should be back by now. By the way, I didn't tell you, there's something waiting for you in the dining room."

Ronnie said innocently, "For me?" and I suppressed a big smile when I heard her say that. Martha waited at the door, watching Ronnie enter, and I said casually, "Why, hello. So glad you two could come."

"Hello," Ronnie said, crossing the living room, a sneaky smile on her face. "Well, Martha... I forgot to tell you, too, that there's something waiting for *you*, not for --" She stopped, gaping at the dining room table. She put her hands on her hips. She said, "Steven. What did you do?" She turned to me, grinning, surprised. "What the hell did you do?"

Martha closed and locked the door, frowning. "What is it?"

Ronnie said disbelievingly, "C'mere, look at this. Look what he did."

Martha walked toward the table, her eyes widening as she got closer. She breathed, "Well, good lord." She looked at me. "What did you do?"

I said, "Why is everybody asking me what I did? Look, that's what I did."

Ronnie shook her head. "I don't believe it. He fooled us both."

I stepped toward them. "I couldn't make up my mind, so I got two cakes. One's chocolate on white, the other's white on chocolate."

Ronnie said, "Steven, you're a master criminal.

I said, "You're supposed to blow out the candles."

Martha gaped for another moment, then she looked at me and said steadfastly, "We are *not* going to sing happy birthday!"

I began, "Happy birthday to you, Happy birth--"

"No!" Martha said. "I hate that. It's so --" She smiled, and her eyes got red. She pleaded sweetly, "Steven, don't do it. Please. I get so embarrassed." She shot a glance at Ronnie. "So you were in on this all along. Serves you right."

Ronnie touched Martha's shoulder. She said, "Martha, happy birthday." She kissed Martha on the cheek.

Martha hugged her back. "You too, Ron. You old maid."

Ronnie laughed, choking up a little herself, and they hugged again.

Then Martha turned to me and feigned an angry frown, beckoning with her finger and moving toward me.

"C'mere."

I back away, "Now, let's take it easy."

"Come... here!"

I circled around her. "Not if you're gonna be rough."

Martha said, "Get 'im, Ronnie."

Both of them started for me, and I backed into the living room.

Martha said, getting closer, warning me, "There's no place to ru-u-un."

They came to me, grinning, and then both of them wrapped their their arms around me and began planting tickly little kisses all over my face and neck, laughing, hugging me.

I said, "All right, c'mon, let's open the presents."

Martha said, "What do you think we oughtta do to him, Ronnie?"

Ronnie said slyly, "Everything."

Martha said, "Drive him crazy?"

Ronnie said, "Nah, I think we already did that. Let's just put him into a coma."

I said, "Hold on, let's reserve judgment until you see the presents."

Martha said, "Well, okay." She started for the dining room. "You know, I halfway suspected something like this, with my own birthday coming up. But I didn't expect a gift, Steven."

They went into the dining room with me behind them, and we stood around the table.

Martha told Ronnie, "You first."

Ronnie said, "You first. Yours is the bigger one."

Martha said, "You."

Ronnie said, "Your birthday's first."

Martha said, "Well..."

We watched and waited. Martha looked down at the bigger box, her hands on its sides.

I said, "Well? Martha?"

Martha asked, suspenseful, "What's in here?"

Ronnie said, impatient, "Open it!"

Martha lifted the box and tore gently at one corner. She murmured, "This is such a big box." She pulled at the paper slowly, hesitantly.

Ronnie said sarcastically, "Martha, maybe Steven and I could go out and do a little shopping, and check back."

I said, "C'mon, Martha, open it."

Martha pulled at the ribbon and it came undone and she pulled it off the box. She glanced at Ronnie. "Who bought this? Did you buy this?"

Ronnie said, "Steven picked it out. Steven bought it. I tried it on."

"Tried it on?"

"Martha, open the damn box."

She tore away another huge piece of the glossy white paper, and she set the birthday card envelope aside, and she glanced at me with a mildly accusing smirk, and then she lifted the top and set it aside as well. She looked down at the bulge of layered white tissue paper.