Крестный отец

           ShehadfoundmakinglovetoMichaelafteratwo-yearabsencethemostnaturalthingintheworld.Itwasasifhehadneverbeenaway.

           "Youcouldhavewrittenme,youcouldhavetrustedme,"shesaid,nestlingagainsthisbody."IwouldhavepracticedtheNewEnglandomerta.Yankeesareprettyclosemouthedtoo,youknow."

           Michaellaughedsoftlyinthedarkness."Ineverfiguredyoutobewaiting,"hesaid."Ineverfiguredyoutowaitafterwhathappened."

           Kaysaidquickly,"Ineverbelievedyoukilledthosetwomen.Exceptmaybewhenyourmotherseemedtothinkso.ButIneverbelieveditinmyheart.Iknowyoutoowell."

           ShecouldhearMichaelgiveasigh."Itdoesn’tmatterwhetherIdidornot,"hesaid."Youhavetounderstandthat."

           Kaywasalittlestunnedbythecoldnessinhisvoice.Shesaid,"Sojusttellmenow,didyouordidn’tyou?"

           Michaelsatuponhispillowandinthedarknessalightflaredashegotacigarettegoing."IfIaskedyoutomarryme,wouldIhavetoanswerthatquestionfirstbeforeyou’dgivemeananswertomine?"

           Kaysaid,"Idon’tcare,Iloveyou,Idon’tcare.Ifyoulovedmeyouwouldn’tbeafraidtotellmethetruth.Youwouldn’tbeafraidImighttellthepolice.That’sit,isn’tit?You’rereallyagangsterthen,isn’tthatso?ButIreallydon’tcare.WhatIcareaboutisthatyouobviouslydon’tloveme.Youdidn’tevencallmeupwhenyougotbackhome."

           MichaelwaspuffingonhiscigaretteandsomeburningashesfellonKay’sbareback.