patch it with makeup.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi.” I smiled and got down on the ground with Cassie. Cindy stood
there for a moment, then walked into the house. Cassie turned to watch
her, lifted her chin and opened her mouth.
“Mommy’ll be right back,” I said, and lifted her onto my lap.
She resisted for a moment. I let go. When she made no attempt to get
off, I put one hand around her soft little waist and held her. She
didn’t move for a while; then she said, “Ho-ee.”
“Horsey ride?”
“Ho-ee.”
“Big horsey or little horsey?”
“Ho-ee.”
“Okay, here we go, little horsey.” I bounced her gently. “Giddyap.”
“Gi-ap.”
She bounced harder and I moved my knee a little faster. She giggled
and threw her arms up into the air. Her topknot tickled my nose on
each assent.
“Giii-ahp! Giii-ahhp!”
When we stopped, she laughed, scrambled off my lap, and toddled toward
the house. I followed her into the kitchen. The room was half the
size of the one on bunbar Drive and furnished with tiredlooking
appliances. Vicki stood by the sink, one arm elbow-deep in a chromium
coffeepot.
She said, “Well, look what the wind blew in.” The arm in the pot kept
rotating.
Cassie ran to the refrigerator and tried to pull it open. She wasn’t œ
successful and began to fuss.
Vicki put the pot down, along with a piece of scouring cloth, and
placed her hands on her hips. And what do you want, young lady?”
Cassie looked up at her and pointed to the fridge.
“We have to talk to get things around here, Miss Jonesy.”
Cassie pointed again.
“Sorry, I don’t understand pointy-language.”
“Eh!”
“What kind of eh? Potato or tomato?”
Cassie shook her head.
“Lamb or jam?” said Vicki. “Toast or roast, juice or moose?”
Giggle.
“Well, what is it? An ice cream or a sunbeam?”
“Eye-ee.”
“What’s that? Speak up.”
“Eye-ee!”
“I thought so.”
Vicki opened the freezer compartment and took out a quart container.
“Mint chip,” she said to me, frowning. “Frozen toothpaste, if you ask
me, but she loves it-all the kids do. You want some?”
“No, thanks.”
Cassie danced a quick little two-step of anticipation.
“let’s sit down at the table, young lady, and eat like a human
being.”
Cassie toddled to the table. Vicki put her on a chair, then pulled a
tablespoon out of a drawer and began to scoop ice cream.
“Sure you don’t want some?” she asked me.
“I’m sure, thanks.”
Cindy came in, drying her hands on a paper towel.
“Snack time, Mom,” said Vicki. “Probably ruin her dinner, but she did
pretty good on lunch. Okay with you?”
“Sure,” said Cindy. She smiled at Cassie, kissed the top of her
head.
“I cleaned out the coffeepot,” said Vicki. “Down to the dregs.
Want some more?”
“No, I’m time.”
“Probably go out later to Von’s. Need anything?”
“No, I’m time, Vicki. Thanks.”
Vicki set a bowl of ice cream in front of Cassie and pressed the round
part of the spoon into the green, speckled mass.
“Let me soften this up-then you can go at it.”
Cassie licked her lips again and bounced in her chair. “Eye-ee!”
Cindy said, “Enjoy, sweetie-pie. I’ll be outside if you need me.”
Cassie waved bye-bye and turned to Vicki.
Vicki said, “Eat up. Enjoy yourself.”
I went back outside. Cindy was standing against the fence. Dirt was
clumped up around the redwood slats and she imbedded her toes in it.
“God, it’s hot,” she said, brushing hair out of her eyes.
“Sure is. Any questions today?”
“No. . . not really. She seems to be time. . . . I guess it’ll be.
I guess when he’s on trial is when it’s going to be hard, right? All
the attention.”
“Harder for you than her,” I said. “We’ll be able to keep her out of
the limelight.”
“Yeah. .. I guess so.”
“Not that the press won’t try to get pictures of both of you. It may
mean moving around a bit-more rented houses-but she can be shielded.”
“That’s okay-that’s all I care about. How’s Dr. Eves?”
“I spoke to her last night. She said she’d be coming by this