js&cs.thebridge-第4节

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　　On　the　other　hand；　she　felt　pretty　honest…to…God　good　today：　very　snug　and　happy　and　loved；　with　only　a　slight　case　of　nausea　to　keep　things　in　real…life　perspective。　The　baby　had　dropped　on　Thursday；　its　head　lowering　into　her　pelvis　in　preparation　for　the　homestretch。　It　took　some　of　the　pressure　off；　made　her　feel　a　little　less　bloated　and　unwieldy；　most　assuredly　heightened　her　sense　of　anticipation。
　　〃Won't　be　long　now；〃　she　whispered　to　the　growing　form　inside　her。　〃You're　gonna　like　it　here。〃
　　She　peeked　out　from　the　covers；　entertaining　the　notion　of　just　lazing　around　all　day。　It　was　a　gray　morning；　from　her　vantage　point；　the　old　casement　windows　rattled　as　the　wind　pressed　against　them；　trying　to　get　in；　a　stray　slice　of　predawn　light　shone　cold　through　the　part　in　the　curtains；　illuminating　the　dust　motes　that　swirled　in　the　air。
　　The　ceiling　fan　overhead　twirled　lazily；　recirculating　heat。　The　house　was　a　three…story　frame　structure　off　the　Starview　Road　in　East　Manchester　township；　ten　miles　north　of　town。　It　was　over　a　hundred　years　old；　lovingly　refurbished　by　Gary　and　Gwen　until　it　just　oozed　warmth　and　character　and　a　clear　sense　of　home。
　　Their　room　was　on　the　drafty　side；　bigger　since　Gary'd　knocked　the　back　wall　out；　reducing　the　available　bedrooms　in　the　old　farmhouse　from　four　to　three　but　opening　the　space　considerably。
　　Besides；　she　thought；　running　her　hands　up　over　the　swell　of　her　belly；　a　guest　room　and　a　nursery's　all　we　really　need。　We're　only　doing　this　once。
　　The　baby　kicked　again。
　　Gwen　turned　toward　Gary；　who　lay　still　sleeping　beside　her；　his　body　concealed　in　a　mountain　range　of　rumpled　down。　〃Gary；〃　she　whispered。　He　stirred　and　mumbled　something　unintelligible　into　his　pillow。　She　reached　under　the　cover　and　tickled　him。　〃Gary？〃
　　Gary　grumbled　and　stirred；　but　did　not　wake。　She　paused　for　a　moment；　just　watching　her　man。
　　To　those　who　knew　him；　it　was　hard　to　believe　Gary　Taylor　had　really　hit　thirty…seven；　judging　by　energy　level　alone；　he　came　off　at　least　a　dozen　years　younger。　But　seeing　him　at　rest　like　this…with　his　personality　temporarily　on　hold…she　could　see　his　years；　and　all　the　pressure　he'd　been　under；　etched　in　the　craggy　lines　of　his　face。
　　Gary　was　a　long；　lean；　lupine　man　with　a　rugged　fighter's　mug；　softened　by　gentle　eyes　and　a　droopy　paintbrush　of　a　mustache。　His　hair　was　black　and　thick；　silvering　slightly　at　the　temples　and　thinning　into　a　widow's　peak　high　on　his　forehead。　When　he　rolled　toward　her；　the　pillow　side　stayed　smushed；　sticking　up　like　a　tar　baby's　mop。
　　Gwen　smiled　and　reached　under　the　covers；　squeezing　him。　〃Gary；　you　'wake？〃　she　teased。
　　He　opened　one　eye；　looked　balefully　at　her　with　it。
　　〃Spike　kicked；〃　she　said；　smiling　sweetly。　〃Three　times。〃
　　Gary　blinked　once；　twice。　He　was　waiting　for　enough　blood　to　circulate　into　his　brain　to　be　capable　of　speech。　He'd　been　up　late　the　night　before；　called　into　the　station　at　the　last　minute　again　by　some　technical　problem　that　Bob　the　Knob　couldn't　deal　with。　〃Mmm；〃　he　mumbled。　〃Mmph。〃
　　〃He　said　he　wants　to　see　his　old　man；〃　Gwen　said。
　　〃Mmph；〃　Gary　reiterated；　burying　his　head　with　the　pillow。　〃Not　if　he　doesn't　let　me　sleep；　he　doesn't。〃
　　〃He's　not　the　only　one；〃　Gwen　said　slyly；　ignoring　him。　Hormones　surged　in　the　ninth　month；　though　God　only　knew　what　for；　they　tweaked　and　tickled　her　erogenous　zones　like　the　haunting　whispers　of　phantom　limbs。
　　It　wasn't　arousal；　exactly；　at　this　point；　she　often　found　it　hard　to　believe　that　she'd　ever　really　be　turned　on…in　the　old…fashioned　sense…again。　Instead；　she　felt　a　keen　need　to　be　made　to　feel　attractive：　to　assuage　the　irrational　anxieties　and　be　reassured；　through　the　medium　of　physical　contact；　that　she　wasn't　really　too　loathsome　to　live；　and　that　Gary　might　still　be　able　to　love　her　somehow。
　　She　reached　between　Gary's　legs；　got　a　handful　of　nice　thick　morning　boner。　Gary；　for　his　part；　groaned　and　smiled。　No　rest　for　the　wicked；　evidently。　He　opened　both　bleary　eyes　and　looked　at　his　wife；　who　smiled　and　worked　him　beneath　the　sheets。　〃I　swear；〃　he　growled　throatily；　〃you　are　incorrigible。〃　She　laughed；　a　sly　little　guttural　chuckle。
　　Gary　reached　out　and　felt　the　firm　round　hardness　of　her　belly；　the　fullness　of　her　breasts；　which　had　swelled　half　again　their　normal　size　over　the　course　of　the　pregnancy。　He　looked　at　her；　sleepy…eyed；　big…bellied　and　disheveled；　she　was　the　most　beautiful　creature　he'd　ever　seen　in　his　life。
　　〃Mornin'；　momma；〃　he　said。
　　〃Mmmm；〃　Gwen　said　dreamily。　〃Love　you。〃
　　〃Love　you　back；〃　he　said。　Gwen　leaned　forward　a　little　and　Gary　daubed　her　with　morning…mouth　kisses：　feeling　the　liquid　silk　of　her　lips；　tasting　the　familiar　musky　sweetness　of　her　neck。
　　Gary's　take　on　sex　these　days　was　a　benign　flip　side　to　Gwen's。　Arousal　wasn't　exactly　what　he'd　call　it；　either：　he　felt　less　turned　on　than　enormously　protective　and　profoundly　nurturing　toward　her。　She　was　his　lady　love；　after　all；　and　the　only　critter　that　even　came　close　in　his　affections　was　just　about　ready　to　poot　forth　from　her　loins。
　　Right　now；　he　could　love　them　both　with　one　sweet　motion；　and　give　Gwen　the　reassurance　she　most　desperately　needed。
　　You　couldn't　get　any　more　damn　convenient　than　that。
　　〃Anything　special　planned　today？〃　he　asked；　as　she　spooned　his　cock　against　her　backside；　guided　him　between　her　legs。
　　〃Mmmm；〃　she　answered；　momentarily　distracted。　〃Picking　up　Micki　at　eleven；　remember？〃
　　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　he　groaned。　〃Micki。〃　Oboy。　Visions　of　tofu；　sandalwood；　crystals　and　pentacles　danced　in　his　head。　〃How　long's　she　staying　again？〃
　　〃Till　the　baby's　born；　and　I'm　back　on　my　feet；〃　Gwen　purred；　anticipating　the　resistance。　Gary　grumbled。　That　meant　at　least　six　weeks　of　weed　walks；　witchy　rituals；　and　West　Coast　weirdo　diets。　Probably　more；　if　past　experience　was　any　judge。
　　〃It'll　be　good　for　the　baby；〃　she　said；　shifting　into　a　fortable　angle。　〃Besides；　we've　got　the　book　to　work　on　。。。　〃
　　Gary　grumbled　some　more　as　he　pressed　into　her。　Gwen　took　it　in　stride；　angling　her　hips　and　lifting　one　leg。　Her　pelvis　was　widened　for　the　passage；　her　lips　moist　and　full　as　the　gates　parted　and　Gary　slid　home。
　　The　argument　was　over　before　it　even　started；　as　they　locked　on　a　slow；　sensual　rhythm　of　heat　and　love　and　life。
　　And　morning　came　to　another　Sunday　in　Paradise。
　　
　　
　　　Four
　　　
　　First　light　fell　on　Dark　Hollow　Road　at　half　past　six：　cutting　through　the　scraggly　woods　of　Windsor　Township；　slicing　the　darkness　down　into　narrow　strips　of　shadow。　The　storm　had　dwindled　to　mist　and　memory；　but　now　the　night　was　fading；　too。　In　its　place　came　ugly；　cloud…refracted　sunlight：　unseasonably　warm；　and　painful　to　behold。
　　But　then　again；　everything　was　painful　now。
　　He　was　a　great　big　dying　man；　and　he　couldn't　go　much　farther。　Every　agonized；　crutching　step　forward　was　an　ultimate　act　of　will。　He　had　been　traveling　south　down　the　back　roads　of　Hellam；　in　just　this　way；　for　hours。
　　The　will　was　not　entirely　his　own。
　　He　rounded　the　final　bend　and　paused　there：　swaying　grotesquely　swollen。　Before　him；　the　Flinchbaugh　place　splayed　out　like　a　tacky；　white…trash　Disneyland；　it　was　all　that　remained　between　him　and　home。　Dozens　of　lawn　ornaments　crowded　Eb　Flinchbaugh's　manicured　lawn：　concrete　jockey　and　leprechaun　faces　locked　in　lifeless　smiles；　little　Dutch　girl's　eyes　staring　sightlessly　through　him　as　he　passed。
　　Artificial　flamingos　and　deer　were　clustered　around　the　centerpiece：　a　working　fountain；　burbling　incessantly；　its　sound　soothing　to　his　ears。　The　temptation　to　simply　lay　down　among　them　and　rest…perhaps　forever…was　overwhelming。
　　He　could　not　let　it　happen。
　　Not　when　he　was　so　close。
　　One　shivering；　shambling　step　after　another；　he　descended　into　the　hollow。　Boonie's　personal　finish　line　in　the　bad…news　relay　race　loomed　before　him；　the　rust…hued　shimmer　of　the　yard　below　was　like　a　beacon。
　　Calling　him　home。
　　
　　Sometime　after　seven；　Otis　Pusser　pulled　up　to　the　gate；　slouching　beneath　the　peeling　vinyl　top　of　his　'79　Buick　Skylark。　He　leaned　into　the　horn；　meaty　palm　pressing　the　wheel　rim　so　hard　it　felt　like　it　would　snap　clean　off。
　　〃GODDAMMIT！　BOONIE！〃　he　roared。　〃OPEN　THIS　GODDAMNED　GATE！〃
　　The　horn　lowed　like　a　buttfucked　sow。　Behind　the　gate；　DamDog　and　Coonie　joined　in；　raggedy　junkyard　yowls　pounding　the　din。　They　were　mutts；　scrawny…assed　and　nasty　to　the　bone；　bred　mean　and　kept　that　way。　While　he　watched；　Coon　jumped　all　fours　into　the　air　and　snapped　at　the　chain　link；　came　down　on　DamDog；　and　got　bit　for　his　trouble。　The　air　filled　with　fur　and　dogspit　and　dust。
　　〃Stupid　damn　animals；〃　he　muttered；　shaking　his　head　and　honking　some　more。
　　It　wasn't　that　he　didn't　have　keys；　he　just　didn't　want　to　get　up。　Otis　tipped　in　at　a　couple　of　hairs　over　three　hundred　and　fifteen　pounds；　most　of　it　hard　fat　and　body　odor。　His　features　were　large…pored　and　leathery…the　wages　of　a　life　of　hard　labor…and　his　nose　was　a　vibrant　rococo　fresco　of　scarlet　capillary　distress。　A　Big　Gulp　cup　was　wedged　between　his　thighs；　filled　three…to…one　with　coffee　an