Half of Paradise

“I want you so much,” she said.

“You’re a precious lady.”

“I love you terribly.”

“Can’t we go in the other room?”

“It will only be a couple of more hours.”

“We haven’t had each other in four days.”

“I know, darling. But it will be so good tonight. Let’s wait.”

He kissed her cheek again and bit the lobe of her ear.

“We have to go back,” she said. “Stay a little longer.”

“I have to cook.”

“Let’s don’t go to any more parties for a while.”

“All right, darling.”

“We’re around other people too much.”

“We won’t go to any more parties unless you want to, and we’ll only see each other.”

“Do you mind not seeing anyone but me?” he said. “Of course I don’t. We have good times together.”

“Don’t go back yet.”

“We have to. Be good and help me carry the food down.”

They went down the stone steps to the courtyard. The light from the Japanese lanterns fell on the oleander and jasmine and Spanish daggers in the flower beds. There was the whisper of silk and petticoats, and the quiet talk of couples in the shadows, and the clink of ice in cool glasses of gin and quinine water. Avery reached his hand down into the tin tub and took out one of the last bottles of beer and opened it. The cap clicked on the flagging of the court. Suzanne stood under the willow by the iron gate to greet some people who had just come in. She came over to Avery.

“We’ll have to get more beer,” she said. “Can you go down to the grocery store?”

“It’s closed now.”

“That place on Esplanade is still open. Go in the car.”

“Where are the keys?”

“Upstairs, I suppose. You don’t mind going, do you? I’d ask Wally, but he’d never come back.”

“When are they going to leave?”

“It won’t be long. I’ll talk with Denise. Be a good darling.”

Avery went upstairs and got the keys and came back down and started out the courtyard.

“Where are you going, old pal?” Wally said.

“To get beer.”

“Is it all right if I go along? That painter has started talking again. I swear to Jesus I can’t tolerate listening to that fellow.”

“I’m only going to be gone a few minutes.”