I stood. We shook hands again. I went out through the reception area, said goodbye to the receptionist, and closed the door behind me. I walked casually to my car. I didn't run. I have an iron will. Susan of course was not back at the car in half an hour, which was okay. I hadn't expected that she would be. At about six o'clock she and Pearl came back up Rantoul Street. Susan had some bags, which she put in the back with Pearl. Then she leaned over and kissed me on the mouth.
'Done?' she said.
'Done.'
'It was pretty awful, wasn't it,' she said.
'Like maggots in a trash can,' I said.
'What do you suppose will become of the Eisens,' she said.
'For the moment,' I said, 'they've got each other. That's probably enough punishment.'
'Shall we go to Yanks and have a lovely dinner?'
'Two martinis and a lovely dinner,' I said.
'And a doggie bag for the baby?'
'Sure.'
'And then a long ride back to my home where I will make embarrassingly overt sexual advances on you.'
'If it's mostly innuendo,' I said, 'so we don't offend Pearl, can we talk dirty on the long ride home?'
Susan kissed me again on the mouth. 'Sure,' she said.
