So Many Doors by Oakley Hall

Author:Oakley Hall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Titan

2

She had been in the kitchen starting dinner. The kitchen was separated from the other room by a low partition and she could talk to Arch and Jack while she skinned the potatoes. Jack was sitting on the studio couch with his long legs stretched out in front of him and a highball in his hand, and he and Arch were talking about the job.

Then, after a silence, Marian heard Jack say, “Well, I’m thinking about getting married, Arch.” He said it casually, and she craned her neck to see him.

“What’s that, Jack?” she called.

He flushed and turned toward her and repeated the words.

“Good move,” Arch said. “Who’s the girl?” He was sitting stiffly in a straight chair, with his arms folded and his legs crossed.

“Gene Geary,” Jack said. “She works down at the H. and G. office.”

“Did you ask her yet?” Marian said. She peeled two onions and began slicing them into the pan with the potatoes. Her eyes were watering and she brushed a strand of hair back from her forehead. “Did you ask her yet, Jack?”

“Yeah, she’s thinking it over.”

“Well, don’t worry about it,” Arch said. “They always do that.” Marian made a face at him when he came out into the kitchen to get the bottle.

“I wondered if Arch would mind being best man,” Jack said in an embarrassed voice. “See, I haven’t been here very long and…”

“Of course he wouldn’t mind. He’d be happy to. Am I invited too, Jack?”

“Sure. Well…I don’t know if she’s going to or not.”

“Of course she will,” Marian said. “A big good-looking boy like you.” It was hot in front of the stove, her face was hot, and she felt a little tight.

“When’ll it be?” she heard Arch say.

“Right away, I guess.”

“What’s she like, Jack?” Marian called.

“Oh, she’s little. She’s got brown hair.”

Marian wondered if this girl were a virgin; probably not. None of these girls were nowadays. Probably Jack had attended to that already. She felt a sudden, jealous dislike for this girl, and she stepped to the door to watch Jack, who was moving his glass from side to side, studying the flat tilt of the liquor. She saw that Arch was drinking with great ceremony, and she knew he was a little tight too.

Jack raised his head and grinned at her. “Smells good,” he said.

“It’ll be ready in a minute,” Marian said, and then she said, “So you’re going to get married.”

Jack grinned again and looked down at his glass. Arch started to tell the story about how he and his best man had both dropped the ring at their wedding, and Marian picked up an overloaded ashtray and took it back to the kitchen.

Jack helped her to her chair when she called them to the table, and she thanked him and looked reprovingly at Arch. But Arch was shaking his head and blinking his eyes, and she smiled. She saw that they were waiting for her and she picked up her fork.

“Is your girl pretty?” she said to Jack.

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