Chapter 12

Both kids left the apartment after everything was over. They'd showered together and I'd held my breath with nervousness for fear Ma--Gwen, that is--would hear their squeals of laughter and investigate (assuming she'd finished her lesson in Duane's apartment). But she didn't. And when they came back late for supper she simply gave them an indulgent "Tsk-tsk" and let it go at that.

I realized Nancy had what she wanted--a man to pay attention to her and a ready cock to feed the hunger between her legs. Mark's gentle consideration was in such contrast to Eric's brutal arrogance she obviously wanted nothing more to do with her mother's boarder. And the more I thought about her abrupt change in attitude the more I began to suspect Eric.

A couple of days after Gwen and her daughter had broken through the sex barrier, I went to Eric's apartment. He acted genuinely glad to see me there.

"Hey! What happened, baby? I was afraid maybe you'd changed your mind about me!"

I sniffed. "Are you going to invite me in?"

"Christ, yes! Come on! I'll pour you a beer!"

"No wine?" But I had to giggle.

He squeezed me and went to the little beer bar he'd had them put in for him. Drawing a foamy mug of beer for each of us, he guided me to the couch and sat beside me.

"Now. What the hell's been going on?" he asked.

I sniffed. "You had a child in here, Eric Bjornson!"

"Huh?... Oh, that damn kid of Gwen's?"

"Don't give me that 'damn kid' stuff! I'll bet that isn't the way it is at all!"

He squirmed and turned red. "Aw, for Christ's sake, who'd want to mess around with a baby?"

"Eric!..."

"Oh, shit! Okay, if you're going to keep poking! She did come up. I think I gave her enough to think about, she's not going to try that again. Not with me."

I didn't say much. "I thought that was it," I whispered as I got my arm up across his chest and pulled his face around to mine. And we just about forgot all about the beer.

Well, Ma Conner evidently got as much of a thrill out of her lessons with Duane as her daughter was getting with Mark. And there were a few days when I thought Will was the forgotten child. Gwen and Duane weren't forgetting him, though. One night when Will got terribly snotty at the dinner table, Duane speared him with a venomous look and held it until Will sputtered into silence.

When there wasn't even the sound of anybody breathing, Duane said, "Seems to me your education's been neglected, Will."

"Yeah? Figure you know somebody can teach me somethin'?"

Duane nodded. He was real cool. "Yeah, I figure I do. Matter of fact, I think it's time I introduced you to him."

"You an' who else?"

Ma bristled, but her voice was low and steady instead of being shrill, the way it used to be. "And me, young man."

"Huh? Who's the miracle man?"

Duane gave him an evil grin. "Colonel Waters."

"Who the hell..."

"Runs a military school in Lawrence. I went through there. I think he'd enjoy having you as a guest for awhile."

"Inmate, you mean!" Will sounded abruptly alarmed.

"Tell you what, boy. I've been talking to the colonel this week. He says you sound like a fine, self-reliant young man. Ought to make a real name for yourself at CARVER-LANGHAM."

"You shit!" But Will's voice was a whisper of awe rather than a belligerent yell.

"Maybe." Duane didn't even scowl. "We'll see. Anyhow, Gwen and I are making a loop through Topeka and Lawrence and Kansas City in a couple of days. We'll just take you along and let you meet this Waters guy. I think he'll impress you."

Well, it got kind of exciting, then. I mean things in general, not Will, particularly. There were times when I thought he might even be relieved they cared enough for him to "send him up the river," as he put it once. Anyhow, it turned out Duane and Gwen were going to get married and be gone for about ten days. They meant to leave Will at CARVER-LANGHAM, expecting Colonel Waters might make something worthwhile out of him, then tour the west side of Missouri and spend a few days in the Arkansas Ozarks. Nancy was to stay in Emporia with me. Where the arrangements would have enraged me a week earlier, it delighted me now. And I thought Mark was going to blow the whole thing, his pleasure was so obvious.

So the big day arrived and Will was in the car before Gwen and Duane even came out of the house. And then they were dwindling in the distance and we were all still waving. When we finally turned back toward the house, Eric grinned broadly and patted my fanny.

"Tell you what!" he exclaimed. "Seems to me we ought to throw a celebration! I mean, everything working out the way it has. How about it?"