Американские боги

           "Theviolets?Theywerealwaysherfavoriteflower.Whenweweregirlsweusedtopickthemtogether."

           "Nottheviolets."

           "Oh,that,"shesaid.Shewipedaspeckofsomethinginvisiblefromthecornerofhermouth."Well,Iwouldhavethoughtthatwasobvious."

           "Nottome,Audrey."

           "Theydidn’ttellyou?"Hervoicewascalm,emotionless."Yourwifediedwithmyhusband’sc*ckinhermouth,Shadow."

           Hewentbackintothefuneralhome.Someonehadalreadywipedawaythespit.

           Afterlunch-ShadowateattheBurgerKing-wastheburial.Laura’scream-coloredcoffinwasinterredinthesmallnondenominationalcemeteryontheedgeoftown:un-fenced,ahillywoodlandmeadowfilledwithblackgraniteandwhitemarbleheadstones.

           HerodetothecemeteryintheWendell’shearse,withLaura’smother.Mrs.McCabeseemedtofeelthatLaura’sdeathwasShadow’sfault."Ifyou’dbeenhere,"shesaid,"thiswouldneverhavehappened.Idon’tknowwhyshemarriedyou.Itoldher.Timeandagain,Itoldher.Buttheydon’tlistentotheirmothers,dothey?"Shestopped,lookedmorecloselyatShadow’sface."Haveyoubeenfighting?"

           "Yes,"hesaid.

           "Barbarian,"shesaid,thenshesethermouth,raisedherheadsoherchinsquivered,andstaredstraightaheadofher.

           ToShadow’ssurpriseAudreyBurtonwasalsoatthefuneral,standingtowardtheback.Theshortserviceended,thecasketwasloweredintothecoldground.Thepeoplewentaway.

           Shadowdidnotleave.Hestoodtherewithhishandsinhispockets,shivering,staringattheholeintheground.