mp.godfather-第84节

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　York。　She　had　lived　like　a　spinster　for　almost　two　years；　reading　and　teaching；　refusing　dates；　refusing　to　go　out　at　all；　even　though　she　had　given　up　making　calls　to　Long　Beach。　She　knew　she　couldn't　keep　that　up；　she　was　being　irritable　and　unhappy。　But　she　had　always　believed　Michael　would　write　her　or　send　her　a　message　of　some　sort。　That　he　had　not　done　so　humiliated　her；　it　saddened　her　that　he　was　so　distrustful　even　of　her。
　
　She　took　an　early　train　and　was　checked　into　her　hotel　by　midafternoon。　Her　girl　friends　worked　and　she　didn't　want　to　bother　them　at　their　jobs；　she　planned　to　call　them　at　night。　And　she　didn't　really　feel　like　going　shopping　after　the　exhausting　train　trip。　Being　alone　in　the　hotel　room；　remembering　all　the　times　she　and　Michael　had　used　hotel　rooms　to　make　love；　gave　her　a　feeling　of　desolation。　It　was　that　more　than　anything　else　that　gave　her　the　idea　of　calling　Michael's　mother　out　in　Long　Beach。
　
　The　phone　was　answered　by　a　rough　masculine　voice　with　a　typical；　to　her；　New　York　accent。　Kay　asked　to　speak　to　Mrs。　Corelone。　There　was　a　few　minutes'　silence　and　then　Kay　heard　the　heavily　accented　voice　asking　who　it　was。
　
　Kay　was　a　little　embarrassed　now。　〃This　is　Kay　Adams；　Mrs。　Corleone；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　remember　me？〃
　
　〃Sure；　sure；　I　remember　you；〃　Mrs。　Corleone　said。　〃How　e　you　no　call　up　no　more？　You　get　a　married？〃
　
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Kay　said。　〃I've　been　busy。〃　She　was　surprised　at　the　mother　obviously　being　annoyed　that　she　had　stopped　calling。　〃Have　you　heard　anything　from　Michael？　Is　he　all　right〃
　
　There　was　silence　at　the　other　end　of　the　phone　and　then　Mrs。　Corleorie's　voice　came　strong。　〃Mikey　is　a　home。　He　no　call　you　up？　He　no　see　you？〃
　
　Kay　felt　her　stomach　go　weak　from　shock　and　a　humiliating　desire　to　weep。　Her　voice　broke　a　little　when　she　asked；　〃How　long　has　he　been　home？〃
　
　Mrs。　Corleone　said；　〃Six　months。〃
　
　〃Oh；　I　see；〃　Kay　said。　And　she　did。　She　felt　hot　waves　of　shame　that　Michael's　mother　knew　he　was　treating　her　so　cheaply。　And　then　she　was　angry。　Angry　at　Michael；　at　his　mother；　angry　at　all　foreigners；　Italians　who　didn't　have　the　mon　courtesy　to　keep　up　a　decent　show　of　friendship　even　if　a　love　affair　was　over。　Didn't　Michael　know　she　would　be　concerned　for　him　as　a　friend　even　if　he　no　longer　wanted　her　for　a　bed　panion；　even　if　he　no　longer　wanted　to　marry　her？　Did　he　think　she　was　one　of　those　poor　benighted　Italian　girls　who　would　mit　suicide　or　make　a　scene　after　giving　up　her　virginity　and　then　being　thrown　over？　But　she　kept　her　voice　as　cool　as　possible。　〃I　see；　thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　glad　Michael　is　home　again　and　all　right。　I　just　wanted　to　know。　I　won't　call　you　again。〃
　
　Mrs。　Corleone's　voice　came　impatiently　over　the　phone　as　if　she　had　heard　nothing　that　Kay　had　said。　〃You　wanta　see　Mikey；　you　e　out　here　now。　Give　him　a　nice　surprise。　You　take　a　taxi；　and　I　tell　the　man　at　the　gate　to　pay　the　taxi　for　you。　You　tell　the　taxi　man　he　gets　two　times　his　clock；　otherwise　he　no　e　way　out　the　Long　Beach。　But　don't　you　pay。　My　husband's　man　at　the　gate　pay　the　taxi。〃
　
　〃I　couldn't　do　that；　Mrs。　Corleone；〃　Kay　said　coldly。　〃If　Michael　wanted　to　see　me；　he　would　have　called　me　at　home　before　this。　Obviously；　he　doesn't　want　to　resume　our　relationship。〃
　
　Mrs。　Corleone's　voice　came　briskly　over　the　phone。　〃You　a　very　nice　girl；　you　gotta　nice　legs；　but　you　no　gotta　much　brains。〃　She　chuckled。　〃You　e　out　to　see　me；　not　Mikey。　I　wanta　talk　to　you。　You　e　right　now。　An'　no　pay　the　taxi。　I　wait　for　you。〃　The　phone　clicked。　Mrs。　Corleone　had　hung　up。
　
　Kay　could　have　called　back　and　said　she　wasn't　ing　but　she　knew　she　had　to　see　Michael；　to　talk　to　him；　even　if　it　was　just　polite　talk。　If　he　was　home　now；　openly；　that　meant　he　was　no　longer　in　trouble；　he　could　live　normally。　She　jumped　off　the　bed　and　started　to　get　ready　to　see　him。　She　took　a　great　deal　of　care　with　her　makeup　and　dress。　When　she　was　ready　to　leave　she　stared　at　her　reflection　in　the　mirror。　Was　she　better…looking　than　when　Michael　had　disappeared？　Or　would　he　find　her　unattractively　older？　Her　figure　had　bee　more　womanly；　her　hips　rounder；　her　breasts　fuller。　Italians　liked　that　supposedly；　though　Michael　had　always　said　he　loved　her　being　so　thin。　It　didn't　matter　really；　Michael　obviously　didn't　want　anything　to　do　with　her　anymore；　otherwise　he　most　certainly　would　have　called　in　the　six　months　he　had　been　home。
　
　The　taxi　she　hailed　refused　to　take　her　to　Long　Beach　until　she　gave　him　a　pretty　smile　and　told　him　she　would　pay　double　the　meter。　It　was　nearly　an　hour's　ride　and　the　mall　in　Long　Beach　had　changed　since　she　last　saw　it。　There　were　iron　fences　around　it　and　an　iron　gate　barred　the　mall　entrance。　A　man　wearing　slacks　and　a　white　jacket　over　a　red　shirt　opened　the　gate；　poked　his　head　into　the　cab　to　read　the　meter　and　gave　the　cab　driver　some　bills。　Then　when　Kay　saw　the　driver　was　not　protesting　and　was　happy　with　the　money　paid；　she　got　out　and　walked　across　the　mall　to　the　central　house。
　
　Mrs。　Corleone　herself　opened　the　door　and　greeted　Kay　with　a　warm　embrace　that　surprised　her。　Then　she　surveyed　Kay　with　an　appraising　eye。　〃You　a　beautiful　girl；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃I　have　stupid　sons。〃　She　pulled　Kay　inside　the　door　and　led　her　to　the　kitchen；　where　a　platter　of　food　was　already　set　out　and　a　pot　of　coffee　perked　on　the　stove。　〃Michael　es　home　pretty　soon；〃　she　said。　〃You　surprise　him。〃
　
　They　sat　down　together　and　the　old　woman　forced　Kay　to　eat；　meanwhile　asking　questions　with　great　curiosity。　She　was　delighted　that　Kay　was　a　schoolteacher　and　that　she　had　e　to　New　York　to　visit　old　girl　friends　and　that　Kay　was　only　twenty…four　years　old。　She　kept　nodding　her　head　as　if　all　the　facts　accorded　with　some　private　specifications　in　her　mind。　Kay　was　so　nervous　that　she　just　answered　the　questions；　never　saying　anything　else。
　
　She　saw　him　first　through　the　kitchen　window。　A　car　pulled　up　in　front　of　the　house　and　the　two　other　men　got　out。　Then　Michael。　He　straightened　up　to　talk　with　one　of　the　other　men。　His　profile；　the　left　one；　was　exposed　to　her　view。　It　was　cracked；　indented；　like　the　plastic　face　of　a　doll　that　a　child　has　wantonly　kicked。　In　a　curious　way　it　did　not　mar　his　handsomeness　in　her　eyes　but　moved　her　to　tears。　She　saw　him　put　a　snow…white　handkerchief　to　his　mouth　and　nee　and　hold　it　there　for　a　moment　while　he　turned　away　to　e　into　the　house。
　
　She　heard　the　door　open　and　his　footsteps　in　the　hall　turning　into　the　kitchen　and　then　he　was　in　the　open　space；　seeing　her　and　his　mother。　He　seemed　impassive；　and　then　he　smiled　ever　so　slightly；　the　broken　half　of　his　face　halting　the　widening　of　his　mouth。　And　Kay；　who　had　want　just　to　say　〃Hello；　how　are　you；〃　in　the　coolest　possible　way；　slipped　out　of　her　seat　to　run　into　his　arms；　bury　her　face　against　his　shoulder。　He　kissed　her　wet　cheek　and　held　her　until　she　finished　weeping　and　then　he　walked　her　out　to　his　car；　waved　his　bodyguard　away　and　drove　off　with　her　beside　him；　she　repairing　her　makeup　by　simply　wiping　what　was　left　of　it　away　with　her　handkerchief。
　
　〃I　never　meant　to　do　that；〃　Kay　said。　〃It's　just　that　nobody　told　me　how　badly　they　hurt　you。〃
　
　Michael　laughed　and　touched　the　broken　side　of　his　face。　〃You　mean　this？　That's　nothing。　Just　gives　me　sinus　trouble。　Now　that　I'm　home　I'll　probably　get　it　fixed。　I　couldn't　write　you　or　anything；〃　Michael　said。　〃You　have　to　understand　that　before　anything　else。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　she　said。
　
　〃I've　got　a　place　in　the　city；〃　Michael　said。　〃Is　it　all　right　if　we　go　there　or　should　it　be　dinner　and　drinks　at　a　restaurant？〃
　
　〃I'm　not　hungry；〃　Kay　said。
　
　They　drove　toward　New　York　in　silence　for　a　while。　〃Did　you　get　your　degree？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃Yes；〃　Kay　said。　〃I'm　teaching　grade　school　in　my　hometown　now。　Did　they　find　the　man　who　really　killed　the　policeman；　is　that　why　you　were　able　to　e　home？〃
　
　For　a　moment　Michael　didn't　answer。　〃Yes；　they　did；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　in　all　the　New　York　papers。　Didn't　you　read　about　it？〃
　
　Kay　laughed　with　the　relief　of　him　denying　he　was　a　murderer。　〃We　only　get　The　New　York　Times　up　in　our　town；〃　she　said。　〃I　guess　it　was　buried　back　in　page　eighty…nine。　If　I'd　read　about　it　I'd　have　called　your　mother　sooner。〃　She　paused　and　then　said；　〃It's　funny；　the　way　your　mother　used　to　talk；　I　almost　believed　you　had　done　it。　And　just　before　you　came；　while　we　were　drinking　coffee；　she　told　me　about　that　crazy　man　who　confessed。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃Maybe　my　mother　did　believe　it　at　first。〃
　
　〃Your　own　mother？〃　Kay　asked。
　
　Michael　grinned。　〃Mothers　are　like　cops。　They　always　believe　the　worst。〃
　
　Michael　parked　the　car　in　a　garage　on　Mulberry　Street　where　the　owner　seemed　to　know　him。　He　took　Kay　around　the　corner　to　what　looked　like　a　fairly　decrepit　brownstone　house　which　fitted　into　the　rundown　neighborhood。　Michael　had　a　key　to　the　front　door　and　when　they　went　inside　Kay　saw　that　it　was　as　expensively　and　fortably　furnished　as　a　millionaire's　town　house。　Michael　led　her　to　the　upstairs　apartment　which　consisted　of　an　enormous　living　room；　a　huge　kitchen　and　door　that　l