the elevator back down。 It was too much like an open mouth。
Too much by half。 He took the stairs。
》
THE VERDICT
He stepped into the kitchen and looked at them； bouncing the passkey a few
inches up off his left hand； making the chain on the white metal tongue jingle；
then catching it again。 Danny was pallid and worn out。 Wendy had been crying； he
saw； her eyes were red and darkly circled。 He felt a sudden burst of gladness at
this。 He wasn't suffering alone； that was sure。
They looked at him without speaking。
〃Nothing there；〃 he said； astounded by the heartiness of his voice。 〃Not a
thing。〃
He bounced the passkey up and down； up and down； smiling reassuringly at them；
watching the relief spread over their faces； and thought he had never in his
life wanted a drink so badly as he did right now。
》
THE BEDROOM
Late that afternoon Jack got a cot from the first…floor storage room and put
it in the corner of their bedroom。 Wendy had expected that the boy would be half
the night getting to sleep； but Danny was nodding before 〃The Waltons〃 was half
over； and fifteen minutes after they had tucked him in he was far down in
sleep； moveless； one hand tucked under his cheek。 Wendy sat watching him；
holding her place in a fat paperback copy of Cashelmara with one finger。 Jack
sat at his desk； looking at his play。
〃Oh shit；〃 Jack said。
Wendy looked up from her contemplation of Danny。 〃What？〃
〃Nothing。〃
He looked down at the play with smoldering ill…temper。 How could he have
thought it was good？ It was puerile。 It had been done a thousand times。 Worse；
he had no idea how to finish it。 Onc