Kathy was pleased that Billy wore his new pin-striped suit to dinner. He looked handsome and dignified when he dressed up, trimmed his mustache and brushed his hair back. At the trailer Bev introduced Billy to her children—five-year-old Brian and six-year-old Michelle—and he turned his attention to them immediately, setting one on each knee, telling them jokes, pretending to be a little child himself.

After she fed the children and put them to bed, Bev told him, “You have a way with children. Michelle and Brian took to you right away.”

“I love kids,” he said. “And yours are particularly delightful.”

Kathy smiled, pleased to see that Billy was in his charming mood.

“I’ve invited another friend for dinner,” Bev said. “Steve Love lives in the trailer court, too, but he’s separated from his wife. We’re best pals. I thought you’d like to meet him. He’s a couple of years younger than Billy, half Cherokee, a real nice guy.”

When Steve Love came in a short while later, Kathy was struck by his handsome dark complexion, bushy black hair, mustache and the darkest blue eyes she’d ever seen. He was taller than Billy.

During dinner Kathy sensed that Billy liked both Bev and Steve. When Bev asked him about life in Lebanon, he told them about Dr. Steinberg and Mr. Reinert, and how being able to paint had finally made prison endurable. After dinner he told about some of the things that had gotten him into trouble, and Kathy had the feeling he was boasting. Suddenly Billy jumped up and said, “Lets go for a drive.”

“At this hour?” Kathy said. “Its after midnight.”

“Great idea,” Steve said.

“I'll get my neighbors niece to baby-sit,” Bev said. “She sits for me at any hour.”

“Where’ll we go?” Kathy asked.

“Lets find a playground somewhere,” Billy said. “I feel like swinging on a swing. ”

After the baby-sitter arrived, they crowded into the VW, Kathy and Steve Love in the back, Bev beside Billy in the front.

They drove to a small schoolhouse playground. At two in the morning, they played tag and swung on the swings. Kathy was glad Billy was having such a good time. It was important for him to have new friends so he wouldn’t become involved with the people he’d been associating with before he went to prison. That was one of the things his parole officer had tried to impress upon the family.

At four in the morning, after they dropped Bev and Steve back at the trailer court, Kathy asked Billy what he thought of the evening.

“Real nice guys,” Billy said. “I feel I’ve made some friends.” She squeezed his arm.

“And those kids,” he said. “I just love those kids.”

“You’ll make a good father someday, Billy.”

He shook his head. “That’s physically impossible.”

Marlene sensed a change in Billy. He was a different person now, she thought, with a hardened attitude; he seemed to draw away from her, as if wanting to avoid her. That hurt, because all the time he had been in Lebanon, she had never gone out with anyone else, dedicating herself to him alone.