11

By Saturday Marcus had been working for Karen for two weeks. It was a hot spring day—people were suddenly outdoors—too beautiful a day to spend indoors with Kevin. Marcus came to work in his cutoffs, rubber clogs, and faded Baltimore Colts shirt. It was a day to be with friends, playing ball, or just drifting around, talking. “Okay with you if I take Kevin out this afternoon?” he asked Karen. “I can take him to the zoo.” Karen was wearing a seersucker skirt and jacket. “You’re going to be hot,” he warned.

Karen, as she often did, acted as if she didn’t hear what he was saying, or heard selectively. “The zoo is fine. You’ll keep a close eye on Kevin? What about his nap?”

“I’ll bring a blanket along. Maybe you’d like to come too?” he said boldly.

She shrugged. “Kevin,” she called, “Mommy is going.”

“Take the day off.” He was standing close to her, his eyes fixed on the gold chain at her throat. It would be so simple to put his arms around her waist …

After Karen was gone he called Wendy and invited her. “Sure,” Wendy said. “Meet you at the zoo.”

Marcus and Kevin took the bus to the zoo and waited at the bus stop for Wendy. She came wearing a polka dot halter and denim shorts, and carrying a straw basket. “Wendy,” Kevin said. “Hi, Wendy.”

“See, he remembers you.” Marcus patted Kevin on the head.

“Why shouldn’t he remember me? I remember him. Hi, Kev, I like your outfit.” He was wearing blue gym shorts, blue knee socks, and blue sneakers. “You too,” she said to Marcus. “Sexy legs.”

“Hairy legs turn you on?” He bumped into her. “What have you got in that interesting-looking straw basket?”

“Cookies and fruit for later.”

Marcus reached around her for a cookie. She pushed him away. “I said later, grabby. Why don’t you ask sometimes?”

“Ask what? I’m not a grabber. You grab plenty of times yourself.” He’d been dreaming about grabbing Karen. Wendy too. That was his fantasy, to grab and to hold.

In the animal house Wendy and Kevin went from one cage to another, but Marcus remained in front of the spider monkey cage. Wendy and Kevin came back. “It’s stinky here,” Kevin said.

“I’ve had it too,” Wendy said. “You ready, Marcus?”

“Not yet,” he said. “See those two little guys over there, the way they’re picking stuff off each other.”

“Yuck! That’s what’s making me sick,” Wendy said. “Come on, Kev, let’s leave Rosenbloom to the monkeys.”

Later he found them on the lawn under a tree. Wendy was swinging Kevin by his arms. “More!” Kevin shrieked. “More! Marcus, you do it.”

Marcus swung Kevin in the air. “Now it’s Wendy’s turn.” He grabbed her around the waist.

“You’re looking for trouble, grabby!”

“You’re looking for trouble, grabby!” Kevin echoed.

“Come on, up you go!” Marcus tried to pick her up but she made herself heavy and poked her elbows in his stomach. They were so close, he could smell the sun in her hair. “Okay, let’s be friends,” he said.

She slapped his hands away. “Who could be friends with a snake like you?”

“Ah, come on, Wendy,” he coaxed, and got his arms around her again. He was one of those lusty men who had enough for lots of women—everything they wanted.

Wendy broke free. “Who’s hungry?”

“I want a banana,” Kevin said.

She handed him a banana and Marcus a carrot.

“Where’s the gooey stuff?”

“This is better for you, pervert.”

For Kevin’s benefit, Marcus chewed the carrot like a cigar. Then they sat on the grass and watched the people going by. “Did I tell you what I decided about Alec?” Wendy said.

“No,” Marcus said uncomfortably. He’d finally talked to Alec about Wendy, and Alec had made it clear he liked Wendy, but nothing more.

“Well.” Wendy straightened up. “I’ve decided it doesn’t make any difference what I feel. I can’t make something happen that isn’t there. So I’m hooked, that doesn’t mean I have to let myself be miserable. I’m giving up Alec! Can you give up something you haven’t had?”

He rubbed her shoulders sympathetically.

“Oh, it’s stupid!” she said. “The whole thing is stupid. I don’t know how I let myself get into these things. You want to play cards?” She brought out a deck from the straw basket, then dealt them out in twos and threes.

“You could be dealing from the bottom of the deck, and I wouldn’t know it.” Marcus looked around for Kevin, who was pulling a fallen branch behind the tree.

Wendy studied her cards, arranged them, then snapped them shut. “Come on, play cards.”

Marcus put down a jack of diamonds. Wendy picked it up, and put down a seven of clubs. No good to Marcus. He took a card from the deck. Another jack. He threw down an eight of hearts. She picked it up.

“You going to pick up every card I throw down?”

“I’m taking you for all you’ve got, sonny.”

She felt better. He was relieved. Then Kevin walked across the cards. “No, Kevin!” Too late.

They had to start the game again. Kevin squatted down and watched Wendy deal the cards. Marcus rubbed his head. “That’s a good boy, honey, you sit next to me.” He studied his cards. “So who said a man and a woman can’t be friends without sex?”

“I don’t know, who said it?” Wendy picked up a card. “And who is this man and woman? Not Adam and Eve.”

“You and me.” Marcus picked up a queen of spades Wendy had discarded. “The reason you and I don’t get involved is because you’re not my type.”

“You mean you’re not my type,” Wendy said.

Marcus put down a king of hearts. “I’m hurt.”

“I bet.” She picked up the king and threw down a nine of hearts.

“I know your type.” He was about to describe Alec, but felt it would be hitting too close to home. “You like jocks in high-heeled cowboy boots, with muscles in their sleeves and Bull Durhams in their mouths.”

“Oh, right, and your type are sexy blondes who fall over their boobies. No other requirements necessary. Now me, I require more of a man besides basic equipment. To begin with, he’s got to have brains, charm, a sense of humor—”

“I qualify on all counts,” Marcus said with a modest bow.

“I like my men short, stringbean. And mysterious.”

“I know, I’m an open book.”

“And athletic.”

“Writers sit a lot.”

“You’re totally unsuitable.” Wendy put down her hand, three kings and a straight in clubs. “Rummy, dummy. Besides, you’re a pushover at cards. You owe me sixteen cents. Pay up.”

Marcus reached into his pocket. “Where’s Kevin?” he said, looking around. “He was right here a moment ago.”

Wendy got to her feet. “Kevin,” she called.

He was nowhere on the field. “You go that way.” Marcus pointed toward the seal pond. “I’ll check the animal house.” He ran, expecting to see Kevin—how far could he have gone?

“Slow down,” the guard in the animal house called.

“Did you see a little boy?”

“I see lotsa little boys.”

Marcus ran out of the animal house. He’d been sitting around playing cards when he should have been watching Kevin. What if he didn’t find him?… Kevin, where are you? He imagined him in the path of a car … or kidnapped … In the distance he saw Wendy waving her arm. She had Kevin by the hand. “He was chasing a squirrel.”

Marcus hugged Kevin. “You got me worried.” They walked back toward the bus stop. “Wendy, what if I’d really lost him? Do you realize the responsibility I have watching this kid?” He held his shirt away from his body. He was burning with relief. “You saved my life!”

“Marco, you goof. He wasn’t even lost.”