[Oxrun Station] The Last Call of Mourning by Charles L. Grant Read Free Book Online Page A

stereotype, she thought; and if people didn't know their names, didn't know them by sight, then seeing them together would give them pause—from one to the other their sex was hidden.
    The distant cry of the afternoon train fit snugly into the November silence, and it was several minutes more before Cyd suddenly began to talk without introduction: about the store, her sometimes ludicrous struggles to come up with a name, the afternoons she'd spent in the toy store with Dale Blake learning what it took to run a small business. "Of course," she added, "there are special things that come with just the books. I sent for I don't know how many pamphlets and things from the Small Business people, and went to a couple of government seminars over in Hartford just before I left the country. I don't know if I can do it, or at least do it right, but I do know one thing—I'm going to need some help."
    "College kids," Iris suggested tersely. "They're always looking for things to do. Come around here twice, three times a week wanting the odd job, things like that. Paul sends them away. I don't trust them."
    "Right," Paul said with nod for emphasis.
    Another short pause while Cyd waited for her courage. Then, "Do you two like it here? Really like it, I mean?" and knew her hunch had been right when she saw the look that passed between them. The Lennons had worked for too many years, were too wrapped in the Protestant Ethic to enjoy their new life. They were bored, and from the looks of the house and grounds, they didn't have enough money to do anything about it.
    "All right, then," she said, smiling and leaning forward with her arms on her knees. "I want to try to open a week from Monday, to catch the tail end of the Christmas season if I can. I'm going to need your help, Paul, Iris. I'd like . . . well, I'd really be pleased if you two could come and work with me."
    "Hate charity," Paul said immediately, rising to stand behind his wife.
    "It isn't charity, and you know it," she said sternly, more to Iris than to him. "I talked with Bella Innes, you know—she works with Dale in the toy store?—and she told me how you two have been dropping in on Mr. Carlegger now and then."
    "Fat old busybody," Paul said angrily.
    "Oh, hush up," Iris told him, and pulled off her glasses. Her eyes, watery and pale, searched for Cyd, found her and held. "Your father has been very kind to us, Missy. He didn't have to give us a pension, but he did. 'Course, now that he has a little trouble he can't always pay. Now, Mr. Carlegger, he runs a pretty good place for getting folks jobs, we know that. Trouble is, we're of an age, you know, and—" She looked helplessly toward the house, and Cyd rose at once, clapping her hands.
    "It's settled, then. My first shipment should be coming in on Wednesday. Shall I see you at the shop, ten o'clock?"
    "So late?" Paul said, his grin grotesquely wide.
    "Plenty early enough until I get used to it, you miserable slavedriver," she said. Impulsively, then, she kissed Iris' cheek and shook Paul's hand firmly. The silence that followed was tinged with grateful embarrassment, and she hurried away before the moment was spoiled. As an afterthought, she turned at the corner of the porch and called back to Paul, "I was thinking about talking to Wallace, too. Does he still live off King Street, down by the hospital?"
    Her smile, already growing in anticipation of theirs, froze when Paul dropped abruptly into his chair and shook his head slowly. Iris reached over to pat at his arm, pushed herself awkwardly to her feet and walked with a slight sideways limp up the drive. A hard look, and she took Cyd's arm to lead her to the front.
    "Iris," she said, her voice low to a whisper, "what is it? Did I say something wrong?"
    "Hush, child, you didn't say anything." She stopped when she saw the blue automobile, clucked loudly and passed a hand over her chin. "Lord, ain't you got rid of that thing yet? Should have had it condemned ten years ago."