Ход королевы
Chapter 13
Butwhenthewaitercame,blessedlybreakingthesilence,JoleneorderedaclubsodaandBethhadhimbringheranotherCoke.
Jolenewascarryingsomethinginamanilaenvelope,whichshesetonthetableinfrontofBeth.Bethpickeditup.Itwasabook,andsheknewimmediatelywhatitwas.Sheslippedofftheenvelope.ModernChessOpenings.Herold,nearlyworn-outcopy.
“Meallthetime,”Jolenesaid.“Pissedatyouforbeingadopted.”
Bethgrimaced,openingthebooktothetitlepagewherethechildishhandwritingread“ElizabethHarmon,MethuenHome.”“Whataboutforbeingwhite?”
“Whocouldforget?”Jolenesaid.
BethlookedatJolene’sgood,beautifulfacewithalltheremarkablehairandthelongblackeyelashesandthefulllips,andtheself-consciousnessdroppedawayfromherwithareliefthatwasphysicalinitssimplicity.Shesmiledbroadly.“It’sgoodtoseeyou.”Whatshewantedtosaywas,“Iloveyou.”
DuringthefirsthalfofthemealJolenetalkedaboutMethuen—aboutsleepingthroughchapelandhatingthefoodandaboutMr.Schell,MissGrahamandtheSaturdayChristianmovies.ShewashilariousonthesubjectofMrs.Deardorff,imitatinghertightvoiceandherwayoftossingherhead.Sheateslowlyandlaughedalot,andBethfoundherselflaughingwithher.IthadbeenalongtimesinceBethhadlaughed,andshehadneverfeltsoeasywithanyone—notevenwithMrs.Wheatley.JoleneorderedaglassofwhitewinewithhervealandBethhesitatedbeforeaskingthewaiterforicewater.
“Younotoldenough?”Jolenesaid.
“That’snotit.I’meighteen.
