Page 53 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

“What would that help?”

“I don’t know. Only, if it’s Mrs. Marlow, and you answer the phone, she knows you’re Lily’s best friend. But if I answer, I could make like she called the wrong house and she would just hang up, confused.”

Lily nods dully that it would work. Sable motions for me to try it, and I hurry over. Closing my eyes, I pick up. “Hello?”

“Sable?” a boy asks.

“This is May. Who am I speaking with?”

“May! It’s Peter! That’s funny the operator mixed things up. Of all the houses she could’ve connected me to!”

Relaxing I confess, “I’m sorry, Peter. This is Sable’s phone.”

“What? Someone put gin in your soda pop, May?” He laughs. “Listen, I’m using the phone at the bowling alley. Asked the manager if he wouldn’t mind. Where are you girls? Did we get the night wrong?”

I cover the mouthpiece and whisper, “It’s Peter Tuck calling from the bowling alley!” Lily’s expression is heart breaking. “Peter, I’m afraid we won’t be able to bowl tonight. We’re awfully sorry, but something has happened.”

“I don’t like the sound of that at all. What gives?”

“I can’t say, Peter.”

“Is Lily with you? Can I talk to her?”

“Yes, she’s with me.” I cover the mouthpiece again. “He wishes to speak with you, Lily.”

She rises from the sofa as Sable whispers, “You don’t have to tell him!”

“I won’t.”

Giving her the phone I back against the wall, clasped hands behind me.

“Hello, Peter? It’s me. How are you?” Pause. “No, I’m alright,” she smiles, wiping a tear. “I sure do wish I could be there. Let’s go bowling another night. Although I have to warn you, I’m very good. And I won’t pretend I’m not just to make you feel better,” she laughs, looking at me with pain in her eyes. “OnlyI have to go now, so you boys have fun.Oh, and when you call me tomorrow night, don’t call my house. Phone here, if you wouldn’t mind.” A short pause and then, “Sable needs my help in the kitchen so I can’t talk anymore. Thank you, Peter, goodnight.”

Lily hands me the mouthpiece. I place it back in its cradle as she walks to her reflection in the window, the darkness outside and the light in here making it as good a mirror as any. She touches her bruised eye, color bleeding further under her skin now. “I won’t be able to see Peter for weeks, will I?”

“Oh, I hardly think so. Maybe one at the most.”

Gertie jumps in with me. “Maybe even sooner!”

Sable says, “It can’t be sooner than a week. Human beings don’t work like that.”

Gertie snaps at her, “Oh, why don’t you stop being so logical!”

“Gertrude Felts! I can’t lie and have her feeling sore when she realizes her face is still awful! What good would that do? The truth comes out, and what then?”

“Then she’s had time to get used to the idea!”

Sable blinks, shocked at someone else’s logic making sense to her.

I sigh, “Perhaps we had better eat something.”

“I’m not hungry,” Lily whispers from the window.

“It’s hard to think on an empty stomach. And tempers run high. Sable, let’s pull something together.”

We start for the kitchen, and Sable turns around. “Gertie, I’m sorry. I’m feeling a little…well, not myself.”

She offers a sad smile, “I shouldn’t have snapped at you,” and rises from her chair to come help.

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