The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-12-03
Two : Company
BY MARGARET cuoN HERzoc Y y
CuION HERZOC

she just wanted to wiring her soft,
little brown neck.
Jack was to have a birthday the
following week.
"I'll give you a party you won't
soon forget" promised Francine.
Nina thought he was not likely
to forget this one. He had got up
and moved his chair at least so
times already.
o No. said Oracle, 81 have an
ooh, I'm catnip to the ladies, all
right, said Jack, smoothing back
the absurd peninsula of hair on
his forehead.
And then Oracle went into a
long, whispered conference with
David, about the proposed festivi-
ties.
That the long consultation was
merely for the fun of putting her
head up close to David's, was OBJ
vious, when she announced that
they were going to Coney Island.
That was all that came of it. Coney
Island. She could have suggested
it right out.
But no. That, or any other mea-
ger excuse, was enough for Oracle
to drag David off on one side and
monopoliZe him. David winked at
Nina, once or twice, over the girls
dark head, but that didn't help it
any. Nina wasn't annoyed with
him, she was annoyed with Oracle.
About 1880, Miss Nolan said to
David: "YoL better make your
bride let me help her with the
dishes, big boy. The poor kid'll be
up half the night"
Oracle, the little helper. The
ministering angel.
why don't you, sweetheart?
Gracie's a whizz."
Il thought you told me, once, to
treat them with beautiful disre-
gard?" remarked Nina.
But Oracle said: ooh, what the
hell" in the most comradely way
imaginable -. and insisted on do
ing just one more thing to show
what a grand wife she would have
made for David.
"Come on, let's leave those two
alone together" David pointed at
Bill and Francine, on the day-bed.
They're practically beyond con-
troll nowl'
So he and Jack slipped their
drinks in the kitchen, while Ora
Gle went merrily and efficiently to
work at the sink. Not spot on her
dress. Not a hair out of place.
Nina, white and weary, wiped
away, in stony silence.
When they had gone, Nina said
just one thing to David.
II just ask you, darling, not to
say that ! managed beautifully.
] didn't, and I know it. Now will
you please take Button out, and
Observation-Disclosures"
So he didn't; but he kissed her
with a slightly bewildered look on
his face.
When he came back, she was
sound asleep on the very edge of
the bed. Her stockings were still
on, and one fat tear was glistening
on her white, white cheek.
At A StandstiI.
THE last two weeks of August
made the first two seem like a
strawberry festival. The heat was
blistering.
Cordelia wrote about night life
in Stockholm, and yachting on
the cool waters at Oslo.
Aunt Carrie wrote once, on
paper that was crinkly from a re-
freshing Bar Harbor fog.
Honey and Richard sent pic
lures Of themselves, by the rocky
marine pool, at Antilles.
Carl Senple was to meet Corde-
liza in Paris, and journey down to
the Riviera for a reunion with the
Challoners. Tony Leeds would be
there -.
Nina sat in her apartment that
was cool only because it looked
cool, and read the letters, and
wondered what streak of insanity
had lurked in her family, that she
should have deliberately got her.
self into this predicament.
She weighed los pounds. She
was listless from morning to night.
David saved what he could out
of his lunch money (Efe was al
ways saying: 'Oh, a matted was
all ! wanted,") and brought her
back little delicacies-fresh figs
or flowers-or some frozen des-
sert from really good place, like
Sherry's $50
But that upset her, too. It made
her feel that she wasn't being a
good sport, that she needed cod
ding. =. She did need it, of course.
but she didn't want to appear TO
be asking for it.
She couldn't seem to get I'D the
energy to love David, as she had
hoped she was going to, for being
so heavenly sweet to her: or TO
hate him, for claiming her to this
dreadful, dull poverty.
She couldn't seem TO miss
Honey, or reeapture any of her old
longing for Richard or get over
him either. for that matter.
She was at Standstill.
Her biggest sensations came
from little things: A cold glass OF
beer Taking her shoes of, after
tramping home from the grocery
with packages in her arms The
terrifie flood Of relief. when David
said. Let's eat out, tonight, sweet
heart. you look tired"
She Thought: this isn't--living.
But she went on.
tcogrigAt. 1857. Margaret Esysosg