Steel by Richard Matheson Read Free Book Online Page B

we’ll forget the whole thing,” he suggested.
    â€œOh sure. Sure ,” she said. “Forget the whole thing. Forget that my fiancé is afraid he’ll make the Devil mad if he marries me on a Thursday. That’s easy to forget.”
    â€œIt’s nothing to get excited about, dearest.”
    She groaned. “Oh! If you aren’t the … the absolute limit.”
    She turned and looked at him. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
    â€œHow about Wednesday?” she asked.
    He was silent. Then he cleared his throat with embarrassment.
    â€œI—” he started, and then smiled awkwardly. “I forgot that, dear,” he said. “Not Wednesday either.”
    She felt dizzy. “Why?” she asked.
    â€œIf we married on Wednesday, I’d be a cuckold.”
    She leaned forward to stare at him. “You’d be a what? ” she asked in a shrill voice.
    â€œA cuckold. You’d be unfaithful.”
    Her face contorted in shock.
    â€œI—I,” she spluttered. “Oh, God , take me home! I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man in the world!”
    He kept driving carefully. She couldn’t stand the silence.
    She glared at him accusingly. “And—and I suppose if we got married on a-a Sunday , you’d turn into a pumpkin!”
    â€œSunday would be fine,” he said.
    â€œOh, I’m so glad for you,” she snapped. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me.”
    She turned away from him.
    â€œMaybe you just don’t want to marry me,” she said. “Well, if you don’t, say so! Don’t give me all this crap about…”
    â€œI want to marry you. You know that. But it has to be the right way. For both our sakes.”
    She hadn’t intended to invite him in. But she was so used to his coming in that she forgot when they arrived at the house.
    â€œYou want a drink?” she asked sullenly as they went into the living room.
    â€œNo, thank you. I’d like to talk this thing over with you, sweetheart,” he said, pointing to the couch.
    She set down her chubby body stiffly. He took her hand.
    â€œDearest, please try to understand,” he said.
    He slid an arm around her and stroked her shoulder.
    In another moment she melted. She looked into his face earnestly. “Darlin’,” she said, “I want to understand. But how can I?”
    He patted her shoulder. “Now listen, I just know certain things. And I believe that to marry on the wrong day would be fatal to our relationship.”
    â€œBut … why?”
    He swallowed. “Because of consequences.”
    She didn’t say anything. She slid her arms around him and pressed close. He was too comfortable not to marry just because he wouldn’t marry on Thursday. Or Wednesday.
    She sighed. “All right, darlin’. We’ll change it to Sunday. Will that make you happy?”
    â€œYes,” he said. “That will make me happy.”
    *   *   *
    Then one night he offered her father fifteen dollars to seal the bargain of their marriage.
    Mr. O’Shea looked up from his pipe with an inquiring smile.
    â€œWould you say that again?” he asked politely.
    Frank held out the money. “I wish to pay this as purchase money for your daughter.”
    â€œPurchase money?” asked Mr. O’Shea.
    â€œYes, purchase.”
    â€œWho’s sellin’ her?” Mr. O’Shea inquired. “I’m givin’ her hand in marriage.”
    â€œI know that,” said Frank. “This is just symbolic.”
    â€œPut it in your hope chest,” said Mr. O’Shea. He went back to his paper.
    â€œI’m sorry, sir, but you must accept it,” Frank insisted.
    Then she came downstairs.
    Mr. O’Shea looked at his daughter.
    â€œTell your young man to stop kiddin’,” he said.
    She looked at Frank with a worried glance. “Aw,