I went by the hospital that afternoon and had the tests made and ran into Dr. Williams in the hall. He put his hands on my waist and told me to come by his office after work someday.

“What for?” I looked up into his balding bespectacled kindly face. “What would we do?”

“Just talk awhile. I like you, Rhoda, don’t you know that?”

“Sure I do. I’ll never forget you helped me when Jimmy was here.” I backed away. His power was getting on me, drawing me in, a sort of smell of power. I usually found such a thing seductive but today I was concentrating on stopping drinking and being good.

“Is Klane Marengo still working for you?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Be careful of her. She’s been in trouble with the law, you know that, don’t you?”

“Well, she’s the only maid in town who can keep Little Malcolm out of trouble. She’s wonderful with my children. She loves them. She loves me. Her husband’s out of jail. He got out last week. They can’t help it if sometimes they have to steal.”

“Just be careful. Well, call me sometime. Here’s a number that will answer if the office doesn’t. After hours or on the weekends.” He handed me a card with a phone number written on it. I took it and put it in my purse.

“Thanks,” I said. “Thanks for giving this to me.”

I went home in a wonderful mood. Doctor Williams was in love with me. I was going to quit drinking. Robert was coming over. Maybe Speed was in love with me too. Malcolm was out of town and I didn’t have to cook dinner for three more days. Best of all, I had a new mauve linen dress and there was a party at the country club that night to wear it to.

I pulled into my driveway, singing to myself. Klane came out the kitchen door with Jimmy in her arms. Little Malcolm was beside her carrying his guns.

“I got to get on home,” she was saying. “I can’t stay any longer today, Rhoda.”

“Oh, I’m going to a party tonight. I thought you’d stay till the baby-sitter gets here.”

“Not tonight. I got to get on home. We got a whist game tonight and I got to cook a roast.”