The Porkchoppers

23

After Sadie Cubbin slipped the dress on over her head she turned to Fred Mure and said, “You should have been with him.”

Mure stretched and yawned in the sex-rumpled bed. “He wouldn’t let me. I asked, but he wouldn’t let me.”

“It’s a wonder they didn’t kill each other.”

“Two old goats like that?”

“Well, Don broke his finger.”

“It’ll teach him a lesson.”

“You’re supposed to look after him.”

“Look, I told you how it happened.”

“You should have gone with him.”

“Kelly was with him.”

“Well, I shouldn’t have left him,” Sadie said as she lit a cigarette.

“You said he was asleep.”

“He might wake up and wonder where I am.”

“Kelly’s there.”

“I think Kelly’s beginning to wonder.”

“What about?” Fred Mure asked.

“About Don and me.”

“Not about us?”

“He’ll get around to that, if we keep this up.”

“Kelly’s a good kid.”

“That’s why I don’t want him to find out.”

Mure yawned again and swung his feet over the side of the bed. “You’ve only been gone an hour.”

“Look at me, Fred.”

Mure turned his head. “You look fine.”

“This is important.”

“What?”

“What I’m going to tell you.”

“All right, I’m listening.”

“This is the last time. It’s over.”

Fred Mure rose quickly and walked slowly over to Sadie. He was naked and conscious of the effect that it usually had on her. He shook his head slowly as he walked toward her.

“It’s not over,” he said. “It’s just starting.”

“No.”

“I told you why I never got married.”

“It’s over.”

“I never got married because I never met anyone that was like you. You’re it, Sadie. You might as well face it.”

“Goddamnit, Fred, I’m trying to tell you that we’re through. No more. Never.”

Fred Mure shook his head again. “We’re gonna get get married, Sadie.”

“And what do I do with Don?”

“You divorce him, just like we talked about.”

“We never talked about my divorcing him. All we ever talked about was why I couldn’t.”

“Well, you can now. You got plenty of grounds.”

“I’m not going to divorce him, Fred.”

“Sure you will.”

“Fred, you’re a nice guy. I like going to bed with you. I like it better than anything I’ve ever done. But I’m not going to divorce Don. I like Don. I like being his wife. Who knows, maybe I even love him.”

“He’s no good anymore.”

“He’ll be all right after the election. He’ll stop drinking and it’ll be all right then.”

“Sadie, you know he’s not going to quit drinking.”

“He’s quit before.”

“But he won’t this time.”

“I’m not going to argue about it. I’m just telling you we’re through.”

“You’ve told me that before.”

“This time I mean it.”

Fred Mure put his arms around Sadie, but she broke away from him. “No,” she said. “No more motel romance. No more chances.”

“That’s when you liked it best,” Fred said, grinning. “You liked it best when he was right in the next bed snoring away. That’s when you really liked it.”

Sadie crossed over to the dresser and picked up her purse. She turned and looked at Mure. “Fred, I want you to listen to me. I want you to listen carefully.”

“I’m listening.”

“I’m not going to divorce Don. I’m not going to marry you. I’m not going to bed with you anymore. Now do you understand?”

Mure grinned. “I’ll give you two days to change your mind. I’ll bet you don’t even hold out two days.”

“No. Not this time. It’s over. Really over.”

“All right, then let me ask you something.”

“What?”

“Why?”

“Why is it over?”

“Yes.”

“Because it’s too dangerous. Too dangerous for you, for me, and especially for Don. They could use us on him.”

“Ah, Christ, Sadie. They don’t care about anything like that.”

“I’m not going to take the chance.”

“Let me ask you something else then.”

“Just as long as you understand that we’re through.”

“Okay. Okay. I understand. But what if Don divorced you, what if he found out about us and divorced you, would you marry me then?”

“You’re not threatening me, are you, Fred?”

“No. I’m just asking you a question. Would you marry me if Don divorced you?”

Sadie shrugged. “Maybe, but he won’t.”

“How do you know? If he finds out, he might.”

Sadie moved over to Fred and touched his cheek. “Fred, you’re really not very bright, are you?”

“I’m not so dumb.”

“No, if you were bright, you’d understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Don’s never going to divorce me.”

“If he found out about us he would.”

Sadie shook her head slowly. “No, darling not even then.”

“Why?”

“Because he already knows about us.”