Swimming Between Worlds by Elaine Neil Orr

Author:Elaine Neil Orr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2018-04-03T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

• • •

THE NEXT MORNING was overcast and Kate required Brian to adorn himself with a variety of scarves and hats and sit for her as she took his photograph in the library, in the backyard, on the front porch, exploiting the soft light of these locations. Finally, he threw down his hat.

“Enough. I want to run to the hardware store. There’s time before my bus leaves.”

“I’ll go with you.”

They decided to walk to town and then Kate would take the bus home and Brian would walk to the Greyhound station. Kate had a funny sense they might run into James. As they were headed up Fourth, as they came up to Broad—at any moment, the Corvette might pull up. It was a fearful hope or an exciting dread. She touched her fingertips to her cheekbones. The self-assurance she had felt the night before about her ability to live alone, guiding the ship of the Glade Street house, was dissipating quickly. She considered again the Negro woman who saw into her secret heart. On the street, she was surprised at how many people greeted Brian, but then again he had lived here all of his life until just recently.

“Miss Monroe,” an elderly gentleman said as they slipped into Brown Rogers Dixson Hardware.

“How do you do?” she replied.

“Who was that?” she said, pulling on Brian’s coat sleeve.

“I don’t remember, but I love this place,” he said. “We bought skates here, remember?”

“Not really.” She gazed at a large assortment of hand drills.

What she wanted was a certain amplitude in life but enough security to keep her level. Were those levels she was looking at now? Perhaps she should purchase one.

“Hey, I’m ready to check out,” Brian said.

“Go ahead,” she said, lifting a level and tilting it this way and that, watching the bubble in the tube of liquid as it moved one way and then the other.

Back on the street, Brian handed her a paper bag.

“What?” she said.

“I noticed you needed some new light bulbs.”

“Thanks,” she said, almost tearing up.

“Thanks for the party. You’ve got some interesting suitors.” He grinned.

“Tacker’s not really a suitor.”

“Keep telling yourself that. Hey. I’ve got to go.” He gave her a hug and with nothing more than a slender satchel over his shoulder and his recent purchase, he headed down the street.

“Get something to eat,” she said, but he didn’t reply or turn his head as her voice was taken up by the wind into the moist wintered air over the town.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.