Bethany. One night they did it on the beach. The next 17
night in an almost-empty movie house. Late late every 18
night Bethany would call me. She just wanted to talk, 19
she’d say. Every conversation would end with her worrying 20
that Ricky was too much in love with her. She liked him 21
and he was sweet, but he wasn’t the kind of man who 22
could ring that bell. Twice she wondered if she could come 23
over in those wee hours, but every time I was strong.
24
“I’d like to see you,” I said. “I really would, but Ricky 25
likes you and I can’t see it to break his heart.”
26
“What if we broke up?” she asked me one night.
S 27
“Could I come over then?”
R 28
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Walter Mosley
1
“I don’t know.”
2
“ ’Cause you know it seem like that if you didn’t wanna 3
hurt Ricky you’d let me come over and just not tell ’im.
4
That way nobody gets hurt.”
5
I told her that I would think about what she said.
6
I didn’t care about Bethany and Ricky right then. The 7
next morning Narciss Gully was due to come over to take 8
the photographs. I had spent the day cleaning again. Ac-9
tually I just moved whatever mess had collected into the 10
pantry. I didn’t drink for twenty-four hours previous to 11
her arrival, and I took a long bath and shaved.
12
When the doorbell rang I wasn’t expecting the twenty-13
something copper-toned Dominican Adonis of assistants.
14
“Hola,” he said to me. “I am Geraldo. Miss Gully sent 15
me to set up for the shoot.”
16
I’m tall but Geraldo had me beat. He was six four at 17
least, wearing only cutoff jean shorts and a white T-shirt.
18
His muscles were well defined but not grotesque, except 19
for calves that bulged. His hair came in big golden-brown 20
locks. His face was beautiful.
21
“Huh?” I said.
