I thought about Echo’s eyes, how immense they are, and how lonesome, and that day at the airport, the way she kept filling her eyes up with everything she saw, so when it was over she’d have something left. “Berry-berry” I said, “you love her, don’t you?” He looked at the picture of Abraham Lincoln. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

I mean it wasn’t any accident.

“Listen, if I had to put caviar in her crankcase every ten minutes, I wouldn’t sell her for a million bucks. I just had such a scrumptious drive comin down. Made it in just under two hours. I mean, sweetheart, I moved!”

No accident, because there was this stranger in the apple tree that despised all little kids.

You don’t even have to say his last name. Just say Berry-berry.

If I was to just press my finger against it, if I was to just squeeze . . .

Sh-hh. One thing at a time. Don’t think.

My head aches. I want to go home.

It’s too late now. Listen.

I want to go home.

It’s too late. Here he comes.

Listen.

The sounds of the truck outside, the motor stopping, the slamming of the door. Silence. More silence. Footsteps on the porch. The front door opening. And closing.

Sit still. Wait. It’s too late now.

Voices downstairs. Two voices. Berry-berry and a woman. The woman is laughing. Now they’re in the kitchen.

THE WOMAN: “I’ll come up later, baby; later, I promise.”

BERRY-BERRY: “Later’ll be too late. Come on.”

THE WOMAN: “Honest, baby, I can’t. I got to go toi-toi.”

BERRY-BERRY: “You just went toi-toi. Come on.”

THE WOMAN: “Please, sweetie, don’t force me. Honestly, you’re the best thing, but when you’re drunk, I . . . Oh, please, don’t, baby, you hurt me bad. I’ll do anything you say. I know you don’t mean to hurt me, baby, but . . . Let go! Please!”

Footsteps on the stairs. A long sustained crashing sound. Bottles falling, bottles breaking.

THE WOMAN: “For Chrisake! Oh, baby, you need a housekeeper!” (Laughter.) “Jesus, this is spooky. Where’s the goddam light?”

The light! They’ll see me!

Don’t worry. The bulb is unscrewed. Remember?

What if they tighten it up?

They wont.

I didn’t know he’d have a woman with him.

She won’t stay long. Easy, breathe easy, breathe through your mouth. Relax, and don’t move.

Now they’re on the bed.

Listen.

THE WOMAN: “Here, I’ll help you.”

BERRY-BERRY: “Help me. Help me.”

THE WOMAN: “There, baby, now just lay back and rest. Will you do that for mamma?”

BERRY-BERRY: “Don’t leave me, don’t leave.”

THE WOMAN: “I wouldn’t leave you, baby. Mamma’s here.”

BERRY-BERRY: “Lie down with me.”