Tales of the City 04 - Babycakes

conceded. “It is.”
He looked relieved. “She’s having some of her rock-and-roll friends.”
“Great. When does she want us?” “Easter weekend.”
Of course, she thought.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“Well … I can’t, that’s all.”
“Why not?”
“I just … well, I have to work.”
“On what?” he asked feistily. “It’s Easter, for God’s sake.”
“I know, but … I promised to do the Easter feature for them … the sunrise service at Mount Davidson, that sort of stuff. I know it’s a bummer, Brian. I meant to tell you earlier. Father Paddy is doing the sunrise service, and they want me to … you know … cover it for Bay Window.”
He hung a scowl on his face. “Jesus,” he muttered.
“I’m sorry,” she replied softly, avoiding the Jesus jokes.
“Easter, for God’s sake. Where do they get off telling you you have to …”
“Brian, it’s my job.”
“I know it’s your job.” His forehead was forming ugly little trenches, a sure danger sign. “Don’t start with that it’s-my-job crap. I know what your responsibilities are. And your priorities, for that matter. I’m just disappointed. All right? I have a right to that, don’t I?”
“Of course.”
“Forget I asked,” he said in a calmer tone. “I’ll tell Theresa we can’t make it.”
It jarred her to hear him call the rock widow by her first name—as if they were old buddies—but what else was he supposed to call her? Certainly not Mrs. Cross. “Don’t do that,” she said. “I think you should go.”
He blinked at her.
“I want you to go,” she added.
“I don’t know …”
“Look, one of us should find out what it’s like. Who’s gonna be there, anyway?”
“Well … Grace Slick, for starters.”
“Wow.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “Since when did you say wow to Grace Slick?”
“That’s not fair,” she sulked. “I like Grace Slick.”
“You do not like Grace Slick. You’ve never liked Grace Slick. Come off it.”
“Well … I meant the wow for you. It was a vicarious wow. Oh, for God’s sake, Brian, go to your rock-and-roll party. It’s tailor-made for you. You’ll be pissed at me forever if you don’t go.”
His eyes became doglike. “I wanted somebody to laugh at it with.”
It was one of those moments of uncomplicated connection that made up for all the grueling compromises of marriage. She nuzzled his neck for a moment, then said: “We’ll laugh about it later. I promise.”
He drew away from her to add a missing detail. “She’s asked her guests for overnight, I mean, like … the whole weekend.”
She shrugged. Under the circumstances, she could hardly get huffy. “Fine. Great.”
“Do you mean that?” he asked earnestly. “Or are you just being modern?”
“If she touches you …” She chewed her forefinger, pretending to ruminate. “I’ll tear her tits off.”
He laughed, then snapped his fingers. “I’ve got a great idea!”
“What?” He was making her nervous,
“I’ll take Simon along with me.”
“I don’t know, Brian.” She weighed several arguments and settled on one. “That’s a little rude.”
“Why?”
“Well … she invited the two of us. She doesn’t even know Simon and … well, since it’s our first real invitation, it might be a little pushy to drag along a perfect stranger … especially one who’s kind of a groupie and all.”
“That’s what I thought would be perfect,” he said. “He’s crazy about her … and unattached.”
“Yeah, hut she’s probably got a surplus of men as it is.”
“Straight men?”
“Well … whatever. Don’t fix them up, Brian.”
“Why not?”
“Because … she’s loo much of a vulture.” He laughed. “I think Simon can take care of himself.”
“Don’t be so sure,” she said, leaning against him again. “Have you forgiven me yet?”
“I’m working on it.”
“Good. There’s something else we can work on, too.”
“What?”
“Save Palm Sunday for me, will you?”
“Why?”
“Because … the signs are good … babywise.”
It took him a while. “You mean … ethelmertz?”
She nodded. “Ethelmertz.”
“Hot damn!” He held her closer. “That makes up for Easter, right there.”
“Good,” she replied. “I hoped it would.”
    The Kid Upstairs
M ICHAEL WAS FEELING REMARKABLY CHIPPER when he awoke at eight forty-five in Simon’s musty bedroom. A cement mixer gargled gratingly out in the street and someone was frying kippers across the garden, but nothing could shake his