Чужак в чужой стране

           "Howcanittemptyouwhenit’salreadyyours?You’repartoftheNest."

           "Uh?Isupposeso.Butdon’tyouworryaboutburglars?"Hewastryingtoguesshowmuchmoneyoneofthosebowlscontained.Mostofthenotesseemedtobelargerthansingles–hell,hecouldseeonewiththreezeroesonitstillonthefloor,wherePattyhadmisseditinhertidyingup.

           "Onedidgetin,justlastweek."

           "So?Howmuchdidhesteal?"

           "Oh,hedidn’t.Michaelsenthimaway."

           "Calledthecops?"

           "Oh,no,no–Michaelwouldneverturnanybodyovertothecops.IgrokthatwouldbeawrongnessMichaeljust-"Sheshrugged."-madehimgoaway.ThenDukefixedtheholeintheskylightinthegardenroom–didIshowyouthat?It’slovely?agrassfloor.ButIrememberthatyouhaveagrassfloor,Jilltoldme.That’swhereMichaelfirstsawone.Isitgrassallover?Everyroom?"

           "Justmylivingroom."

           "IfIevergettoWashington,canIwalkonit?Liedownonit?Please?"

           "Ofcourse,Patty.Uh?it’syours."

           "Iknow,dear.Butit’snotintheNest,andMichaelhastaughtusthatitisgoodtoask,evenwhenweknowtheanswerisyes.I’lllieonitandfeelthegrassagainstmeandbefilledwithHappinesstobeinmybrother’s‘littlenest.’

           "You’llbemostwelcome,Patty."Benremindedhimselfsharplythathedidn’tgiveahootinhellwhathisneighborsthought–buthehopedshewouldleavehersnakesbehind."Whenwillyoubethere?"

           "Idon’tknow.Whenwaitingisfilled.MaybeMichaelknows."