tch or gin fumes riding the outbound train of his exhalation。 She
was always going to assume the worst; if he and Danny got in a car accident with
a drunken blindman who had had a stroke just before the collision; she would
silently blame Danny's injuries on him and turn away。
Her face as she had snatched Danny away it rose up before him and he suddenly
wanted to wipe the anger that had been on it out with his fist。
She had no goddam right!
Yes; maybe at first。 He had been a lush; he had done terrible things。 Breaking
Danny's arm had been a terrible thing。 But if a man reforms; doesn't he deserve
to have his reformation credited sooner or later? And if he doesn't get it;
doesn't he deserve the game to go with the name? If a father constantly accuses
his virginal daughter of screwing every boy in junior high; must she not at last
grow weary (enough) of it to earn her scoldings? And if a wife secretly…and not
so secretly…continues to believe that her teetotaling husband is a drunk 。。。
He got up; walked slowly down to the first…floor landing; and stood there for
a moment。 He took his handkerchief from his back pocket; wiped his lips with it;
and considered going down and pounding on the bedroom door; demanding to be let
in so he could see his son。 She had no right to be so goddam highhanded。
Well; sooner or later she'd have to e out; unless she planned a radical
sort of diet for the two of them。 A rather ugly grin touched his lips at the
thought。 Let her e to him。 She would in time。
He went downstairs to the ground floor; stood aimlessly by the lobby desk for
a moment; then turned right。 He went into the dining room and