stupid. I'm sorry.'
I could have said it was okay, but it wasn't, and not for the
reasons he'd have assumed. 'I'm going to go now.'
He nodded and went at once through the living room to
the front door, which he didn't open. By the time I got to
him I was able to breathe, though my muscles stil felt
loose. Eric stepped aside, giving me plenty of room. We
didn't look at each other.
'Thank you for the ice cream,' I said formaly. Stiffly.
'You're welcome.'
He held the door open for me, but I didn't look at him as I
went out.
I left no note, no list the next morning. Courtesy of the
schedule he'd sent me, I knew Eric would be off to work
schedule he'd sent me, I knew Eric would be off to work
before I roused myself from bed, but that was just an
excuse. I was awake and could have run down to make
sure he had something to keep him smiling al day.
I hadn't slept much, just tossed and turned, so when the
phone rang I picked it up on the first ring. 'Hmm?'
'Paige?'
'Arthur.' I sighed. 'What did I tel you about caling me so early?'
'But I'm hungry,' he whispered. 'And Mama won't wake
up.'
I yawned. 'You know what you can have. You don't need
to wake her up.'
'When are you coming over again?'
I hadn't realy thought about it. 'I don't know, buddy.
How's school?'
'My teacher says I shouldn't talk so much in class.'
'Your teacher is probably right.'
'Your teacher is probably right.'
A shuffling squawk came through the phone, then a voice.
'Who is this?'
'Mom. It's me.'
'Oh. Paige. Hi, honey.' Her relief seemed way out of
proportion to Arty's early morning dialing. 'What's
wrong?'
'Nothing's wrong. Arty caled me.'
'What's wrong with him?'
'Nothing that I know of. He cals me a lot on Sunday
mornings.'
'He does?' She sighed. 'I'm sorry. I'l remind him he's not to use the phone without permission. He's been… wel,
he's been caling Leo.'
I yawned again, blinking. 'So?'
'Leo doesn't live here anymore,' my mom said flatly.
'But he was like a dad to Arthur.' I got on one elbow to
'But he was like a dad to Arthur.' I got on one elbow to
look at the clock. Gad-awful early. Silence told me I'd
