O My Darling by Amity Gaige

Author:Amity Gaige [Gaige, Amity]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction / Literary
ISBN: 9781590511749
Publisher: Other Press
Published: 2005-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

SPECIAL GLASS

One night soon after, Clark came home to a dark house. He had already taken off his jacket and crossed the room before he saw Charlotte sitting on the couch looking at him.

“Hey!” he said.

“Hey, stranger.” There was a tinkling sound from the ice in her special glass. Clark turned on the light. She flinched from it.

“What are you doing?” He sat down across from her.

“Thinking,” she said. “Thinking and drinking.”

“Well, it’s nice to do things that rhyme,” he said. He rubbed his eyes.

“Where’ve you been?”

“I took James and Judy Nye to the Historical Society today,” he said. “They loved it. They got to see pictures of their neighborhood when it was still a swamp. Turns out, this very hill was once used as an Indian lookout and for rain dances. This is sacred land. People have lived here for hundreds of years, from the Indians to the Lippets. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Mm,” said Charlotte.

“They used to climb up here,” he looked around, “maybe right in our yard, and look out over the valley. They’d dance around and sing to the rain god.” He looked at her. “Amazing, isn’t it?” He stood up and walked to the window. At the edges of the yard, the darkness was gathering. “Anyway,” he said. “It’s good to, you know, get out of the house. I don’t think it’s good for a person, to just stay in a house too long. It does weird things to you.”

“I don’t know,” said Charlotte. “I’d like a couple weird things done to me.” She took a sip of gin. “We were supposed to go out to dinner tonight.”

Clark turned around quickly.

“Our anniversary?” Charlotte said.

“Oh Jesus.”

“Aw, it’s all right.” She stood up, steadied herself against the back of a chair. “Don’t be hard on yourself. I never really liked anniversaries. I’m not even hungry anymore. Isn’t gin made out of potatoes?”

“Damn it,” Clark said. “I can’t believe it.” He sat down with his head in his hands, looking genuinely disappointed in himself. Then he looked up. “Wait,” he said. “I’ve got a great idea. Do you think maybe you’d let me make it up to you? It wouldn’t take but twenty minutes.”

“Forget it,” Charlotte said. “I don’t want a great idea. I just want you. Stay. I don’t want to be alone anymore tonight. You know I hate to be alone.” She patted the couch beside her, missing the spot she aimed for. “You know,” she said. “I thought what you were writing at your desk last week, that surprise, I thought it was for me. For our anniversary.” She laughed lightly. “But you know, the truth is, I don’t even like anniversaries and birthdays and any of that. It never turns out quite how you want.”

Clark blinked back at her, his eyes stinging. Then he grabbed his keys from the coffee table. “I’ll bring you something,” he said. “You won’t regret it. Twenty minutes. You just stay put.” He hesitated at the door, peering upstairs. He gazed at her fondly.

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