‘Ugh, how terrible,’ Monica said, and pulled a grimacing that’s-enough-of-that expression at her husband. Then she turned to Dussander and smiled. ‘I just love the smell of a pipe, Mr Denker, don’t you?’
‘Indeed I do, madam,’ Dussander said. He had just gotten an almost insurmountable urge to sneeze under control.
Bowden suddenly reached across the table and clapped his son on the shoulder. Todd jumped. ‘You’re awfully quiet tonight, son. Feeling all right?’
Todd offered a peculiar smile that seemed divided between his father and Dussander. ‘I feel okay. I’ve heard most of these stories before, remember.’
‘Todd!’ Monica said. That’s hardly—’
The boy is only being honest,’ Dussander said. ‘A privilege of boys which men often have to give up. Yes, Mr Bowden?’
Dick laughed and nodded.
‘Perhaps I could get Todd to walk back to my house with me now,’ Dussander said. ‘I’m sure he has his studies.’
Todd is a very apt pupil,’ Monica said, but she spoke almost automatically, looking at Todd in a puzzled sort of way. ‘All As and Bs, usually. He got a C in this last quarter, but he’s promised to bring his French up to snuff on his March report. Right, Todd-baby?’
Todd offered the peculiar smile again and nodded.:
‘No need for you to walk,’ Dick said. ‘Ill be glad to run you back to your place.’
‘I walk for the air and the exercise,’ Dussander said. ‘Really, I must insist… unless Todd prefers not to.’
‘Oh, no, I’d like a walk,’ Todd said, and his mother and father beamed at him.
They were almost to Dussander’s corner when Dussander broke the silence. It was drizzling, and he hoisted his umbrella over both of them. And yet still his arthritis lay quiet, dozing. It was amazing.
‘You are like my arthritis,’ he said.
Todd’s head came up. ‘Huh?’
‘Neither of you have had much to say tonight. What’s got your tongue, boy? Cat or cormorant?’
‘Nothing,’ Todd muttered. They turned down Dussander’s street.
‘Perhaps I could guess,’ Dussander said, not without a touch of malice. ‘When you came to get me, you were afraid I might make a slip… “let the cat out of the bag,” you say here. Yet you were determined to. go through with the dinner because you had run out of excuses to put your parents off. Now you are disconcerted that all went well. Is that not the truth?’
‘Who cares?’ Todd said, and shrugged sullenly.
‘Why shouldn’t it go well?’ Dussander demanded. ‘I was dissembling before you were born. You keep a secret well enough, I give you that. I give it to you most graciously. But did you see me tonight? I charmed them. Charmed them!’
Todd suddenly burst out: ‘You didn’t have to do that!’
Dussander came to a complete stop, staring at Todd.
‘Not do it? Not? I thought that was what you wanted, boy! Certainly they will offer no objections if you continue to come over and “read” to me.’
‘You’re sure taking a lot for granted!’ Todd said hotly. ‘Maybe I’ve got all I want from you. Do you think there’s anybody forcing me to come over to your scuzzy house and watch you slop up booze like those old wino pushbags that hang around the old trainyards? Is that what you think?’ His voice had risen and taken on a thin, wavering, hysterical note. ‘Because there’s nobody forcing me. If I want to come, I’ll come, and if I don’t, I won’t.’
‘Lower your voice. People will hear.’
‘Who cares?’ Todd said, but he began to walk again. This time he deliberately walked outside the umbrella’s span.
‘No, nobody forces you to come,’ Dussander said. And then he took a calculated shot in the dark: ‘In fact, you are welcome to stay away. Believe me, boy, I have no scruples about drinking alone. None at all.’
Todd looked at him scornfully. ‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you?’
Dussander only smiled noncommitally.
‘Well, don’t count on it.’ They had reached the concrete walk leading up to Dussander’s stoop. Dussander fumbled in his pocket for his latchkey. The arthritis flared a dim red in the joints of his fingers and then subsided, waiting. Now Dussander thought he understood what it was waiting for: for him to be alone again. Then it could come out.