"The reluctant neighbor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jenkins Peter)

CHAPTER SEVEN

The party continued the next day. Partners were selected for Saturday, then each of them wandered off at their own convenience, some of them sat about and talked and some enjoyed the sun of a surprisingly beautiful day in the patio. Vivian directed a good breakfast of tomato juice, steak and eggs and eye opening drinks.

Marily had to admire Vivian, who never seemed to tire of talking, but who got things done such as the planning of the party, serving of breakfast and sharing in the festivities all without, Marily imagined, ever closing her mouth. Before the sun was half-way into the sky on Saturday Marily had relaxed in the constant flow of words from Vivian, found them somehow soothing and realized with a start that she would miss them if they stopped.

Marily did not dream that her next partner would be one that she knew already, had been with already, Hans. She was startled when he smiled at her, showed her his slip of paper, because she was talking to Anna. Her face reddened, her tongue became locked in her mouth. Anna smiled her assurance that it mattered not to her, then told the both of them that she and Peter were to enjoy the day. Hans sat between them, holding Anna's hand and talking to her and it occurred to Marily that there was true love, that she hoped that someday she could appreciate Fred as much as either of them seemed to appreciate each other. But she was doubtful. She thought of the 'love making' she and Fred had every Tuesday and she shuddered. He would never consent to anything like this. She just knew it. What then, she wondered, was he to think of her if he ever found out about her week-end. She felt certain that he would divorce her, would hold her and probably the rest of them to public ridicule and scorn.

Then she surprised herself. She suddenly had the feeling that if that were to be the case, she should by all means make the most of the two days she had left. She looked at Hans, gave him a smile that promised all the delights that he had ever participated in or dreamed about, and ignored Anna. Hans' response was immediate. He excused the both of them to Anna, then took Marily's arm and led her out of the patio, into her backyard and to her house. She felt no shame or remorse whatever for all the things she had done with these three strange men. In fact, she found herself looking forward to more and more of it.