Ход королевы
Chapter 9
ShetookaTVdinnerfromthefreezerforherlunchbutdidn’tturnontheoven.Shewasaloneinthehouse,herstomachwasinaknot,andshedidnotknowanyplacetogo.Therewerenomoviesshewantedtoseeorpeopleshewantedtocall;therewasnothingshewantedtoread.Shewalkedupthestairsandthroughthetwobedrooms.Mrs.Wheatley’sdressesstillhungintheclosetsandahalfbottleofhertranquilizerswasstillonthenightstandbytheunmadebed.Thetensionshefeltwouldnotgoaway.Mrs.Wheatleywasgone,herbodyburiedinacemeteryattheedgeoftown,andHarryBeltikhaddrivenoffwithhischessboardandbooks,notevenwavinggoodbyeasheleft.Foramomentshehadwantedtoshoutathimtostaywithher,butshesaidnothingashewentdownthestepsandintohiscar.Shetookthebottlefromthenightstandandshookthreeofthegreenpillsintoherhand,andthenafourth.Shehatedbeingalone.Sheswallowedthefourpillswithoutwater,thewayshehadasachild.
IntheafternoonsheboughtherselfasteakandalargebakingpotatoatKroger’s.Beforepushinghercarttothecheckout,shewenttothewine-and-beercaseandtookoutafifthofburgundy.Thatnightshewatchedtelevisionandgotdrunk.Shewenttosleeponthecouch,onlybarelyabletogettothesettoturnitoff.
Sometimeduringthenightsheawoketoasensethattheroomwasreeling.Shehadtovomit.Afterward,whenshewentupstairstobed,shefoundthatshewasfullyawakeandveryclearinhermind.
