It was a full moon. We did it again that night and when he left I slept and dreamed of horses racing down hills toward the water. In the middle of the night Irise came in and got in bed with me and put her small sweet hands on my back and patted me awhile. In the morning I started menstruating. Rich red blood poured out of my body so I didn’t even have to fear that I was pregnant.

At eleven Malcolm and Charles William came and got us and took us out to breakfast and then took us to the airport and put us on the plane.

“You fell in love with him, didn’t you?” Irise asked, when we were high above the city, rocking our way south and west to Tuscaloosa.

“Why are people always leaving each other? It seems like a dumb thing to do.”

“It’s just when you’re young. When you get older I think you stay.”

Part Four

ATLANTA

Chapter

11

Dear Malcolm,

I’m so glad you liked the teddy bear. I made it out of my black cashmere sweater. The one I was wearing the night we were in Putty’s apartment. It is named Errington. Oh, Malcolm, I miss you so much but I’m happy and I’m busy with schoolwork. I told my parents I was going to Emory to summer school next summer. Are you sure you’re going to be at Tech? If you are, I’m going to make the applications.

I wish I could apply you to my shoulder and my arms and around my waist and so forth and so on, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Ad infinitum.

I love you. More later. I have to go to class and I want to mail this from the student union.

Love and more love,
Rhoda Katherine, her mark

Dear Rhoda,

My roommate said he was going to take Errington for a swim and almost got him out but now I have him tied to the bed. Phinias, not Errington. Are you sure you want to write that paper for me? It would really help. It has to be a thousand words. You can write on any modern American poet. I have to tie his feet.

Love always,
Malcolm

Dearest Malcolm,

Here is the paper. It’s on Dorothy Parker, my absolute completely favorite poet now. She was speaking at Randolph Macon when I was at Southern Seminary but I was campused for smoking and they wouldn’t let me go. Can you believe that? Anyway, I hope you get an A. Anyway, I love and miss you so much. Are you really coming with Charles William in ten days? It seems like nothing and it seems like a million. I will kiss you a thousand times and then a thousand more.

Love,
Rhoda