her,painthadpeeled,tinroofssofeverydaylifeinthispartoftheengines,fishingsusedasderation,ropesandchainsusedtokeepstrangersatbaysohosorethanshaoverinsostokeeptheroivingpletely:ncreteblocksorstackedbricks;tbelochopsticksbutthereesthatlookedabandonedasheran,hesaokebillochieysandenandenveringringhadbeguntofilltheairhetuedatthenextblock,checkedthestreetsign,andranonafeinuteslater,hetuedontothestreetberthirtyfourhepassednuereighteen,thentashejoggedby,theireyesontlater,hereae,tryingnottobeobviousasheglancedtoitelikestoftheothersalongthestreet:
notexactlyeatebetanandnatureintheirbattleoverthehouseatleasthalfacenturyold,thehouseshadstreakedtheaslightstoalloutbuildingtheshadoanerged,carryingabucketthefigurestaringitavisit,nordidhetodothisinrunningclothesinstead,heraisedhischinagainstthebreeze,tuedatthenexter,andtriedtofindhisearlierpaceitageofthenstayed,kinghieelsluggish,eaehefinished,therehinsheenofsonhisfacehetheroad,heuldseethatthelightinthekitchenhadbeentuedonknoeant,hesled
,gladtheyee
thoughherfatheruldntansadearrangentstohavegail,oneofthenurses,ans,andshedpickeduponthesendring“rightonti,”gailsaid“iinute”
“hooday”
“hesalittletired,butotherthanthat,hesfineholdonthephonebyhisear,okay”antlater,hersraspybreaths,adrienneclosedhereyes“hi,daddy,”shestarted,andforseveralnutesshevisited,justassheshetoldhibouttheinnandthebeaentionpaul,sheetrerinhervoiepauldehisaofbanfilledtheair,asifinghioantlater,adriennepushedthroughtheswingingdoorssheoinglight,theyofcrystalskiesinspring“youuckingaloosestrandofhairbehindhereartopaul,thegestureseedoddlysensual,andheyrunoutoftheherestofthedaystarts”“diditgookay”
“ivefeltbetter,butatleastitsdone”heshiftedfronefoottotheother“itsllsgreatinhere,bytheway”“istartedbreakfastotionedoverhershoulder“doyoutoeatnoalittle”“idliketosho,ifthatsokay”
“itsfineiakinggrits,inutesanyyoureggs”
“scraled”
“ithinkiontlonger“letgetthebanbeforeitbus,”shefinallysaid“seeyouinafew”“sure”
afterbedthestepstohisrooshakinghishead,thinkinghoeonheshoovedaroundher,heineshaooshedusedonherhairthating“ihopeyoudontndifijoinyouagain,”shesaidpaulpulledoutherchair,“notatallinfact,iotionedforhertositshelethiushhereigotthere”
“iotsurprisedthereoingiguesseveryonessgoingtobetoday”“itdoesntlookchhanitdidyesterday”
“thatsbecauseyoudontlivehere”
“youdontlivehere,either”
“no,butivebeeninabigstoreforeinfaeiington”adriennelaughed“andyousoldthatstory”
“iguessitsingeasieoyonegoodstoryeverythingelseisboring”“idoubtthatfro,ihinkingthatyourlifehasbeenanythingbutboring”hesled,unsureifshem
