Karen-Lucie said, “They mean I’m cracked up.”
Tomasina smiled with deep affection at Karen-Lucie. “You crack me up,” he said.
“Sweetheart, I wanna take you home. You know, that lady’s a rich culture vulture, I can just tell by the back of her head. Shittin’ in high cotton, that girl. Just buy the damn thing.” Karen-Lucie turned away.
“Oh God, she’s the woman whose house I’m in,” said Yvonne. “Oh, let’s go.”
Karen-Lucie said, “Right now, baby doll.”
The sun was very bright and they all three stood for a moment on the wooden porch, squinting. Tomasina reached for his sunglasses. “It’s hot,” he said. “I didn’t know it was so hot outside. I have my nylons on.”
“They look nice,” Yvonne said. “You look nice.”
“Doesn’t he always just look so nice?” Karen-Lucie made a kissing sound in Tomasina’s direction. “Lord, it is hotter than two rabbits screwin’ in a wool sock.”
A man’s voice startled them from behind. “Girls and boys,” it said. It was Jay Peterson-Cornell. He had just stepped through the door they had walked through. “Had enough of your exhibit?” he asked. He held out his hand toward Karen-Lucie. “I’m Jay,” he said, and for a moment the sunlight glinted on his glasses, then his eyes came into view. “A real pleasure to meet you. Love your work.”
“Thank you,” Karen-Lucie said.
“Can I get you girls something cool to drink?”
Karen-Lucie said, “We have an appointment, I’m afraid.”
“I see.” Jay turned in the direction of Yvonne. “We haven’t seen much of you this week. Have you enjoyed yourself in our little town? Or do you find it dull compared to the funky scene of Tucson?”
“I like your little town.” Yvonne felt sweat run down her back.
“Come on, y’all. Nice to meet you, Mr. Jay.” Karen-Lucie moved to the steps, and Yvonne and Tomasina followed. The three of them walked single file through the pathway in the woods that led back toward town, and none of them spoke until they came to a clearing by the church.
“I need a drink,” said Yvonne.
—
In the bar, Tomasina said, “He didn’t even acknowledge me, did you notice?”
“？’Course not, honey,” said Karen-Lucie. “He ain’t gonna acknowledge anyone he can’t do.”
“I don’t know why he makes me feel creepy,” said Yvonne.
“Because he is creepy. I’m telling you.” Karen-Lucie pointed her swizzle stick at Yvonne.
“It’s not like he looks creepy. He looks normal.” Yvonne picked up a chip, put it back into the basket.
Karen-Lucie let out a long sigh. “For a hundred years I waitressed in my youth, and, child, I got to know some things. I got to know men’s eyes.” Karen-Lucie tapped the swizzle stick to her cheekbone. “And this man, baby doll, thinks yew are a big old tall piece of trash, that’s what he thinks. He’d think the same about me, but I’ve won some a-wards, and he’d rather hang me on his wall. And when you win your a-wards, and you will, Yvie, he’ll want you on his wall beside his fuckin’ freezing cold Pee-casso. But right now he is sniffin’ your panties and tuckin’ your pretty white pajamas under his pillow each night.”
Yvonne gave small nods. “Thank you.” She added, “I’m serious.”
“I know you’re serious.”
“Whoa,” said Tomasina. “This is sad stuff I’m hearing.”
Karen-Lucie looked at Tomasina’s profile with a serious hard look. Then she put her hand on his and said, “You are to worry about nothing. You are doing just fine.”
Linda and Jay Peterson-Cornell sat in the living room waiting up to speak to their houseguest. Every night she had come in later and later, and when she came in she always said “Hello, g’night” and kept right on walking down the ramp in her wedge-heeled sandals.
The night after Jay and Linda had been to the exhibit, Jay said, “She doesn’t give us the time of day.”
Without looking at him, turning the page of her magazine, Linda said, “When I first saw her I thought maybe you’d run off with her.”
Jay laughed. “Did you? Because of her slightly slutty, kind of working-class look?”
“I don’t think it’s just a look,” Linda said.
“No. Clearly not.”