What’s she doing out here then?
I don’t know. What are we doing out here?
They both looked at the pale light showing in onto the ceiling and studied the faded pattern in the old wallpaper. It went all the way around the room and there were stains on it in places and water spots. After a while they closed their eyes. And then they breathed deeply and were asleep.
The next day Guthrie was at the McPherons’ place very early in the morning and he had already loaded the horse into the trailer by the time the two boys had finished the big breakfast of ham and eggs the girl had made for them.
On the way back into town Guthrie said, I missed you. I was worried when I couldn’t find you.
They didn’t say anything.
Are you all right this morning?
They nodded.
Are you?
Yes.
All right. But I don’t want you to do that again. He looked at them seated beside him in the pickup. Their faces were pale and quiet. He changed his tone. I ask you not to do that again, he said. I ask you not to leave like that again.
Dad, Ike said. Mrs. Stearns died.
Who?
The lady over on Main Street. In her apartment.
How do you know that?
We saw her yesterday. She was dead then.
Did you tell anybody?
No. We’re telling you.
But somebody better do something about her, Bobby said. Somebody better take care of her.
I’ll call somebody when we get back to town, Guthrie said.
They drove on down the road. After a while Ike said, But Dad?
Yes.
Isn’t Mother ever going to come back home again?
No, Guthrie said. He thought for a moment. I don’t think she is.
But she left her clothes and jewelry here.
That’s right, Guthrie said. We’ll have to take them to her.
She’ll want them, Bobby said.
Victoria Roubideaux.
They started about noon. That was on a Tuesday. Then she delivered about noon on Wednesday, so it was still a good twelve hours longer than the old doctor had told her it would likely take. But on that Tuesday noon when they started they were not very heavy at first and she wasn’t even sure what they were in the beginning, only that she had had the predictable cramps in her back which moved around to the front, and then in the next few hours they had come on more purposefully and she began to feel more certain then, and then she was both scared and proud, and she was pleased too.