“The world is full of fathers and husbands! Do you realize how lucky I am? Do you realize what I get to do every day of my life? How many people get to be Bobby Manning, Rose? Even if my stuff is forgettable—”

“I've already said that I'm sorry about that.”

“I've had six hits back to back!”

“It was a stupid thing to say. I didn't mean it. I'm your biggest fan, you know that.” But she wasn't—not anymore. Now they both knew it. And he would never forgive her for it.

THE DOCTORS SAID Bobby could resume normal activities within reason, and so he picked up his old routine of working in his office overlooking Shubert Alley. Now he said the apartment felt like a prison; he seemed to have forgotten how much he had enjoyed being at home. The quiet evenings ended too, as he and Rose went back to their old social life. Rose knew Bobby was trying to prove to himself that he was fine. He wanted to erase the past few months and act as if the heart attack had never happened. He finished the final draft of Family—except for the last scene. He still hadn't decided which character was going to sing “Carrie's Moon Song.” He was even more careless about his medicine than he had been before, resenting Rose when she reminded him to take it with him when they went out. Finally, she just started carrying it herself.

Bobby continued with the Gang of Four lunches. Only now he never asked Rose to join in. He was still angry at her, but she couldn't stop trying to make him see reason. Especially since the angina attacks were becoming more frequent. And now they knew that one could be a precursor to a heart attack.

“Thank God your wife had your pills in her purse,” the emergency room doctor said after one particularly scary and painful bout.

“Bobby, you've got to slow down,” Rose sobbed after the doctor left them alone. “You have to accept it. You're acting like a child.”

“But that's what I am. Didn't you know?”

“Then grow up.”

“Leave me alone, Rose. I am who I am.”

And then the day came when Rose knew there was a new Girl. It had been three years, but she always knew when Bobby had a new one. She couldn't have said how. She just knew.

ROSE LOOKED OVER at her sleeping child. All she had to do was get out of her chair, walk over to the bed, reach down, and touch one round little cheek. Then Carrie would wake up and Rose wouldn't be alone. The hole inside her wouldn't feel so deep if Carrie were awake. Rose started to stand but then she sank back. Let the baby sleep. There was nothing she could do to help Rose's pain. Not really.