“I’m going, Beebo. Don’t try to stop me.”
For a moment Beebo didn’t answer. Then she scooped up some of Laura’s clothes on her foot and flung them at her. “Okay, baby,” she said. “But next time, you don’t get off so easily. Clear?”
“There won’t be a next time.” Laura concentrated on dressing, on getting her body covered as quickly as possible. “I’m grateful to you, but I’ll never do it again. It isn’t fair, not to you.”
Beebo laughed disagreeably. “Don’t worry about being fair to me, baby. It didn’t bother you last night.”
“I couldn’t think last night! You know that.”
“Yes. I know that. I’m glad. I hope I drive you out of your mind.” Beebo’s eyes bored into her and made her rush and stumble. She was afraid to confront her, and when she had her clothes on she caught her jacket up with one hand and headed for the door without looking back.
Nix pranced after her. Before she got the front door open, Beebo caught her and turned her around. “Good-bye, Beebo,” she said stiffly.
Beebo smiled, upsetting Laura with her nude closeness. “You’ll be back, Little Bo-peep. You know that, don’t you.” It was a statement, not a question.
I’ll never come back, she told herself. I’ll never open this door again.
And, confident that she meant what she said, she turned and walked away. Within minutes she was riding uptown on the subway. In less than half an hour she was climbing the flight of stairs to the penthouse, her heart pounding.
The door was open. Laura went in, feeling her legs start to shake. There didn’t seem to be anyone around. She walked through the apartment: no-one. She slipped her jacket off and went into the kitchen to find something for breakfast. Out on the roof she could hear people laughing, while competing portable radios squeaked from different corners. The population of the apartment building had taken to sunning itself on the roof on fair weekends.
Laura ate some toast and orange juice, sitting quietly on the kitchen table. She’s out there on the porch. I know she’s out there, she told herself. She was afraid to face her, afraid to go looking for her. She wanted to fall into bed and sleep, but she knew she would never rest until the thing was straightened out.
Laura emptied her orange juice glass and put it down resolutely on the table. She set her chin and slipped off the table, heading for the door. She bumped flat into Jack as he came in.
Laura gave a little scream and jumped backwards. “Oh,” she said, shutting her eyes for a minute to let her heart come back to normal. “It’s you.”
“Say it like you’re glad to see me, Mother,” he said, smiling wistfully.
“I am,” she exclaimed, coming toward him then and taking his hands. “Oh, Jack, I am. I don’t know what I would have done—”
“Now you’re embarrassing me,” he said. “They’re out on the roof sunbathing, by the way.”
“They?”
“Burr’s here.”
Laura started for the door, but Jack caught her sleeve. “Are you cracked?” he said. “This isn’t the time. Wait till Burr leaves.” Laura stopped, unsure. “You don’t want to go out there and try to explain it to her now, do you?” Jack said.
“I just want to get it over with.”
“It’ll keep. Don’t be pushy.”
Laura rubbed her forehead. “You’re right,” she said. “I can’t talk to her in front of Burr.” She laughed a little. “I am cracked. People have been telling me that all day.”
“You don’t have to say much anyway,” Jack said. “I did a smooth patch job. She thinks you’re a little goofy. But harmless.”
Laura smiled at him in relief. But as they gazed at each other the ghost of Beebo came up in her mind and she was suddenly blushing without Jack’s having said a word. “I—I think I’d better go in and lie down, if you’ll excuse me,” she said, anxious to get away from him.
“Didn’t get much sleep last night?” he said.
“Not much.” She looked at the floor, not quite forgiving him for leaving her in the lurch the night before. “You sent me home with her,” she reminded him.
“I didn’t send you to bed with her. I gave her orders. I told her no monkey business. She promised to behave.” He was still smiling, curious to hear her defend herself.
Laura wondered quickly whether she could get away with a lie, ashamed as she was of the truth. But she knew her hot cheeks would betray her. They always did.
“She did behave, Jack.” His eyebrows went up skeptically. “She—what I mean is—it was me.”
He looked at her sideways. “You mean you just sort of fell into each other’s arms?”
“Well, sort of.”
“By mistake? In the dark?”
“I—I—”
“You’re fibbing. I know Beebo. Who made who?” He opened the icebox and fished out a beer. “Do I have to say it, or are you going to tell me?”
“Well, damn it, who are you?” she exclaimed. “You have no right to know anything.”
“Okay. I’ll get it from Beebo. She says you raped her.”
“She’s a liar! I heard her say that. Damn!”
Jack laughed, opening the beer. He sniffed it. “God, what awful stuff,” he remarked. “I only drink it before noon. Cheers.” He drank, and held the can toward her. “Want some?”
“At this hour?”
“Your stomach doesn’t know what time it is.”
“Your stomach, maybe.”
“Did Beebo jump you, Laura? If she did I’ll break her head.” He asked it suddenly and quietly, and she saw that he meant to help and comfort her. He had to stick a few pins in her, only to pull them out and offer first aid. It was the way he did things.
“She didn’t—no,” Laura said, turning away. “Jack, don’t make me talk about it.”
“You could talk to me before.”
“You turned me down last night,” she said pettishly.
“I had to. There was someone else last night.”
“I…oh damn it, Jack, I’m ashamed of myself.
