She showed pleasure and approval in her eyes only. The rest of her remained stiff, especially her thin lips. She jerked her head toward Wade, nodded as if to say, "There," and then returned to the kitchen.
"That's about as happy as she gets," he said, and we both laughed. His eyes moved off me and toward the doorway to the hallway. The smile left his face, and I turned to see Mrs. Cukor standing there staring in at us, mainly at me. A long moment passed without her saying anything.
"Anything wrong, Mrs. Cukor?" Wade said.
"A bird," she remarked.
"Pardon?"
"A bird died on the front stoop this morning."
"Really? What happened to it?"
"From the look on its face, it looks like it was frightened to death," she said. "I'm just going out to bury it with some garlic," she added. She narrowed her eyes at me and then walked off.
"That make any sense to you?" Wade asked me, trying to hold on to his smile. "Burying a bird with garlic?"
I thought a moment. Garlic was something that stimulated all sorts of early childhood memories. Just at the mention of it, I could smell it. I recalled how it was used as a medicine, and how it was hung about sometimes to ward off something dark and
unpleasant.
"Yes," I said softly. "It does."
Wade raised his eyebrows.
"Really?" He looked at the empty doorway and then back to me. "Perhaps you and Mrs. Cukor will get along just fine."
No, I don't think we will, I thought, but didn't say it.
"Making such a deal over a dead bird. I swear. Maybe Ames right about Mrs. Cukor. My father will keep her until she keels over, however. Now, what I would like to know--"
"What would you like to know, Wade?" we heard, and turned as Ami entered the dining room. She was in her robe and slippers and looked like she wasn't quite awake, but she had put on some makeup.
I looked at Wade. Had he been about to ask me about last night?
He stared at her a moment.
"What would you like to know?"
"Nothing," he said, and snapped his paper.
"What are you eating?" she asked me, grimacing. "Oatmeal? Ugh."
"It's very good," I said.
She poured herself a cup of black coffee. Wade lowered his paper.
"Hangover?"
"Hanger-on, I'd call it," she said.
"I take it you showed Celeste a little bit of our nightlife?" he asked. He didn't sound at all angry about it.
"A little bit," Ami said, not offering any real information. "Basil gone?" she asked in what I thought was a nervous tone.
"Yes," Wade said, "but he threatened to return in a few days. I'm sure he won't," he added. He looked at his watch. "I've got some things to clean up at the plant, and then I'm going to lunch at the club. Maybe we should eat out tonight."
"Oh, what a good idea," Ami cried. "I'm surprised I didn't have to suggest it first, Wade."