'Great, Dr. Delaware. We're looking forward to seeing you.'
I walked to the bedroom, thinking how much more nervous she sounded at home than in the hospital. Something about home setting her off-raising her anxiety and leading to Munchausen manipulation?
Though, even if she was virgIn-Innocent, I supposed it made sense for her house to spook her. For her, home was where the harm was.
Robin was slipping into a little black dress I'd never seen before.
I zipped her up, pressed my cheek to the warmth between her shoulder blades, and finally managed to complete the process. We drove to the top of the Glen, to an Italian place in the shopping center just below Mulholland. No reservation, and we had to wait at a cold onyx bar.
Frantic singles scene tonight, lots of tanned flesh and triple ntendres. We enjoyed not being part of it, reveled in silence. I started to have real faith in our reunion-something pleasant to think about.
A half hour later we were seated at a corner table and ordering before the waiter could escape. We ate veal and drank wine for a peaceful hour, drove back home, got out of our clothes and straight into bed.
Despite the wine, our union was quick, limber, almost jovial.
Afterward, Robin ran a bath, got in, and called for me to join her.
Just as I was about to, the phone rang.
'Dr. Delaware, this is Janie at your service. I've got a call from a Chip Jones.'
'Thanks. Put him on, please.'
'Dr. Delaware?'
'Hi, Chip, what's up?'
'Nothing-nothing medical, that is, thank God. I hope I'm not calling too late?'
'Not at all.'
'Cindy just phoned me to say you're coming by, tomorrow afternoon. I'm checking to see if you need me to be there.'
'Your input's always welcome, Chip.'
'Hmm.'
'Is there a problem?'
'I'm afraid there is. I've got an afternoon class at one-thirty, then a meeting with some of my students right afterward. Nothing earth-shattering-just routine office hours-but with finals approaching, the undergraduate panic level's been rising at a precipitous rate.'
'No problem,' I said, 'I'll catch you the next time.'
'Great-and if something comes up that you want to ask me about, just call. I gave you my number here, didn't I?'
'Yes, you did.'
'Great. Then it's all set.
I hung up, bothered by his call but not sure why. Robin called from the bathroom and I went in. The light was dim and she was up to her neck in suds, head tilted back against the rim of the tub. A few clusters of bubbles dotted her pinned-up hair, shiny as gems. Her eyes were closed and she kept them that way as I got in.
Covering her breasts, she said, 'Shudder, shudder hope that's not Norman Bates.'
'Norman preferred showers.'
'Oh. Right. Norman's meditative brother, then.'
