Американские боги

           Shadowknewthatthephonecompanieswhackedathree-dollarsurchargeoneverycallmadefromaprisonphone.Thatwaswhyoperatorsarealwaysrealpolitetopeoplecallingfromprisons,Shadowhaddecided:theyknewthathepaidtheirwages.

           "Somethingfeelsweird,"hetoldLaura.Thatwasn’tthefirstthinghesaidtoher.Thefirstthingwas"Iloveyou,"becauseit’sagoodthingtosayifyoucanmeanit,andShadowdid.

           "Hello,"saidLaura."Iloveyoutoo.Whatfeelsweird?"

           "Idon’tknow,"hesaid."Maybetheweather.Itfeelslikeifwecouldonlygetastorm,everythingwouldbeokay."

           "It’snicehere,"shesaid."Thelastoftheleaveshaven’tquitefallen.Ifwedon’tgetastorm,you’llbeabletoseethemwhenyougethome."

           "Fivedays,"saidShadow.

           "Ahundredandtwentyhours,andthenyoucomehome,"shesaid.

           "Everythingokaythere?Nothingwrong?"

           "Everything’sfine.I’mseeingRobbietonight.We’replanningyoursurprisewelcome-homeparty."

           "Surpriseparty?"

           "Ofcourse.Youdon’tknowanythingaboutit,doyou?"

           "Notathing."

           "That’smyhusband,"shesaid.Shadowrealizedthathewassmiling.Hehadbeeninsideforthreeyears,butshecouldstillmakehimsmile.

           "Loveyou,babes,"saidShadow.

           "Loveyou,puppy,"saidLaura.

           Shadowputdownthephone.

           WhentheygotmarriedLauratoldShadowthatshewantedapuppy,buttheirlandlordhadpointedouttheyweren’tallowedpetsunderthetermsoftheirlease."Hey,"Shadowhadsaid,"I’llbeyourpuppy.