jg.skippingchristmas-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


napkin。　Everything。　Furious；　he　stormed　the　pantry；　where　he　found　a　jar　of　peanut　butter　and　some　stale　saltines。　
　
　
　Nine
　
　Stanley　Wiley's　father　had　founded　Wiley　&　Beck　in　1949。　Beck　had　been　dead　so　long　now　no　one　knew　exactly　why　his　name　was　still　on　the　door。　Had　a　nice　ring　to　it…Wiley　&　Beck…and；　too；　it　would　be　expensive　to　change　the　stationery　and　such。　For　an　accounting　firm　that　had　been　around　for　half　a　century；　the　amazing　thing　was　how　little　it　had　grown。　There　were　a　dozen　partners　in　tax；　including　Luther；　and　twenty　or　so　in　auditing。　Their　clients　were　mid…range　panies　that　couldn't　afford　the　national　accounting　firms。
　If　Stanley　Wiley'd　had　more　ambition；　some　thirty　years　earlier；　the　old　firm　might　possibly　have　caught　the　wave　and　bee　a　force。　But　he　hadn't；　and　it　didn't；　and　now　it　pretended　to　be　content　by　calling　itself　a　〃boutique　firm。〃
　Just　as　Luther　was　planning　another　quick　departure　for　another　sprint　to　the　mall；　Stanley　materialized　from　nowhere　with　a　long　sandwich；　lettuce　hanging　off　the　sides。　〃Got　a　minute？〃　he　said　with　a　mouthful。　He　was　already　sitting　before　Luther　could　say　yes　or　no　or　can　it　be　quick？　He　wore　silly　bow　ties　and　usually　had　a　variety　of　stains　on　his　blue　button…downs…ink；　mayonnaise；　coffee。　Stanley　was　a　slob；　his　office　a　notorious　landfill　where　documents　and　files　were　lost　for　months。　〃Try　Stanley's　office〃　was　the　firm's　slogan　for　paperwork　that　would　never　be　found。
　〃I　hear　you're　not　going　to　be　at　the　Christmas　dinner　tomorrow　night；〃　he　said；　still　chewing。　Stanley　liked　to　roam　the　halls　at　lunch　with　a　sandwich　in　one　hand；　a　soda　in　the　other；　as　if　he　were　too　busy　for　a　real　lunch。
　〃I'm　eliminating　a　lot　of　things　this　year；　Stanley；　no　offense　to　anyone；〃　Luther　said。
　〃So　it's　true。〃
　〃It's　true。　We　will　not　be　there。〃
　Stanley　swallowed　with　a　frown；　then　examined　the　sandwich　in　search　of　the　next　bite。　He　was　the　managing　partner；　not　the　boss。　Luther'd　been　a　partner　for　six　years。　No　one　at　Wiley　&　Beck　could　force　him　to　do　anything。
　〃Sorry　to　hear　that。　Jayne　will　be　disappointed。〃
　〃I'll　drop　her　a　note；〃　Luther　said。　It　wasn't　a　terrible　evening…a　nice　dinner　at　an　old　restaurant　downtown；　in　a　private　room　upstairs；　good　food；　decent　wines；　a　few　speeches；　then　a　band　and　dancing　until　late。　Black　tie；　of　course；　and　the　ladies　tried　hard　to　one…up　each　other　with　dresses　and　jewelry。　Jayne　Wiley　was　a　delightful　woman　who　deserved　a　lot　more　than　she　got　with　Stanley。
　〃Any　particular　reason？〃　Stanley　asked；　prying　just　a　little。
　〃We're　skipping　the　whole　production　this　year；　Stanley；　no　tree；　no　gifts；　no　hassle。　Saving　the　money　and　taking　a　cruise　for　ten　days。　Blair's　gone；　we　need　a　break。　I　figure　we'll　catch　up　rather　nicely　next　year；　or　if　not；　the　year　after。〃
　〃It　does　e　every　year；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃It　does　indeed。〃
　〃I　see　you're　losing　weight。〃
　〃Ten　pounds。　The　beaches　are　waiting。〃
　〃You　look　great；　Luther。　Tanning；　I　hear。〃
　〃Trying　a　darker　shade；　yes。　I　can't　let　the　sun　get　the　best　of　me。〃
　A　huge　bite　of　the　ham…on…baguette；　with　strands　of　lettuce　trailing　along　and　hanging　between　the　lips。　Then　movement：　〃Not　a　bad　idea；　really。〃　Or　something　like　that。
　Stanley's　idea　of　a　vacation　was　a　week　in　his　beach　house；　a　hand…me…down　in　which　he　had　invested　nothing　in　thirty　years。　Luther　and　Nora　had　spent　one　dreadful　week　there；　guests　of　the　Wileys；　who　took　the　main　bedroom　and　put　the　Kranks　in　the　〃guest　suite；〃　a　narrow　room　with　bunk　beds　and　no　air　conditioning。　Stanley'd　knocked　back　gin　and　tonics　from　midmorning　until　late　afternoon　and　the　sun　never　touched　his　skin。　
　He　left；　his　cheeks　full；　but　before　Luther　could　escape；　Yank　Slader　darted　in。　〃Up　to　fifty…two　hundred　bucks；　old　boy；〃　he　announced。　〃With　no　end　in　sight。　Abigail　just　spent　six　hundred　bucks　on　a　dress　for　the　Christmas　dinner；　don't　know　why　she　couldn't　wear　the　one　from　last　year　or　the　year　before；　but　why　argue？　Shoes　were　a　buck…forty。　Purse　another　ninety。　Closets're　full　of　purses　and　shoes；　but　don't　get　me　started。　We'll　top　seven　grand　at　this　rate。　Please　let　me　go　on　the　cruise。〃
　Inspired　by　Luther；　Yank　was　keeping　a　precise　tally　on　the　Christmas　damage。　Twice　a　week　he　dashed　in　for　updates。　What　he　would　do　with　the　results　was　uncertain。　Most　likely　nothing；　and　he　knew　it。　〃You're　my　hero；〃　he　said　again；　and　left　as　quickly　as　he'd　arrived。　
　They're　all　envious；　Luther　thought　to　himself。　At　this　moment；　crunch　time　with　only　a　week　to　go；　and　the　holiday　madness　growing　each　day；　they're　all　jealous　as　hell。　Some；　like　Stanley；　were　reluctant　to　admit　it。　Others；　like　Yank；　were　downright　proud　of　Luther。
　Too　late　to　tan。　Luther　walked　to　his　window　and　enjoyed　the　view　of　a　cold　rain　falling　on　the　city。　Gray　skies；　barren　trees；　a　few　leaves　scattering　with　the　wind；　traffic　backed　up　on　the　streets　in　the　distance。　How　lovely；　he　thought　smugly。　He　patted　his　flat　stomach；　then　went　downstairs　and　had　a　diet　soda　with　Biff；　the　travel　agent。
　
　At　the　buzzer；　Nora　bolted　from　the　BronzeMat　and　grabbed　a　towel。　Sweating　was　not　something　she　particularly　enjoyed；　and　she　wiped　herself　with　a　vengeance。
　She　was　wearing　a　very　small　red　bikini；　one　that　had　looked　great　on　the　young　slinky　model　in　the　catalog；　one　she　knew　she'd　never　wear　in　public　but　Luther　had　insisted　on　anyway。　He'd　gawked　at　the　model　and　threatened　to　order　the　thing　himself。　It　wasn't　too　expensive；　so　Nora　now　owned　it。
　She　glanced　in　the　mirror　and　again　blushed　at　the　sight　of　herself　in　such　a　skimpy　garment。　Sure　she　was　losing　weight。　Sure　she　was　getting　a　tan。　But　it　would　take　five　years　of　starvation　and　hard　labor　in　the　gym　to　do　justice　to　what　she　was　wearing　at　that　moment。
　She　dressed　quickly；　pulling　her　slacks　and　sweater　on　over　the　bikini。　Luther　swore　he　tanned　in　the　nude；　but　she　wasn't　stripping　for　anyone。　
　Even　dressed；　she　still　felt　like　a　slut。　The　thing　was　tight　in　all　the　wrong　places；　and　when　she　walked；　well；　it　wasn't　exactly　fortable。　She　couldn't　wait　to　race　home；　take　it　off；　throw　it　away；　and　enjoy　a　long　hot　bath。
　She'd　made　it　safely　out　of　Tans　Forever　and　rounded　a　corner　when　she　came　face　to　face　with　the　Reverend　Doug　Zabriskie；　their　minister。　He　was　laden　with　shopping　bags；　while　she　held　nothing　but　her　overcoat。　He　was　pale；　she　was　red…faced　and　still　sweating。　He　was　fortable　in　his　old　tweed　jacket；　overcoat；　collar；　black　shirt。　Nora's　bikini　was　cutting　off　her　circulation　and　shrinking　by　the　moment。
　They　hugged　politely。　〃Missed　you　last　Sunday；〃　he　said；　the　same　irritating　habit　he'd　picked　up　years　ago。
　〃We're　so　busy；〃　she　said；　checking　her　forehead　for　sweat。　
　〃Are　you　okay；　Nora？〃
　〃Fine；〃　she　snapped。
　〃You　look　a　little　winded。〃
　〃A　lot　of　walking；〃　she　said；　lying　to　her　minister。　For　some　reason　he　glanced　down　at　her　shoes。　She　certainly　wasn't　wearing　sneakers。
　〃Could　we　chat　for　a　moment？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Well；　sure；〃　she　said。　There　was　an　empty　bench　near　the　railing　of　the　concourse。　The　Reverend　lugged　his　bags　over　and　piled　them　beside　it。　When　Nora　sat；　Luther's　little　red　bikini　shifted　again　and　something　gave　way；　a　strap　perhaps；　just　above　her　hip；　and　something　was　sliding　down　there。　Her　slacks　were　loose；　not　tight　at　all；　and　there　was　plenty　of　room　for　movement。
　〃I've　heard　lots　of　rumors；〃　he　began　softly。　He　had　the　annoying　habit　of　getting　close　to　your　face　when　he　spoke。　Nora　crossed　and　recrossed　her　legs；　and　with　each　maneuver　made　things　worse。
　〃What　kind　of　rumors？〃　she　asked　stiffly。
　〃Well；　I'll　be　very　honest；　Nora；〃　he　said；　leaning　even　lower　and　closer。　〃I　hear　it　from　a　good　source　that　you　and　Luther　have　decided　not　to　observe　Christmas　this　year。〃
　〃Sort　of；　yes。〃
　〃I've　never　heard　of　this；〃　he　said　gravely；　as　if　the　Kranks　had　discovered　a　new　variety　of　sin。
　She　was　suddenly　afraid　to　move；　and　even　then　got　the　impression　that　she　was　still　falling　out　of　her　clothes。　Fresh　beads　of　sweat　popped　up　along　her　forehead。　〃Are　you　okay；　Nora？〃　he　asked。
　〃I'm　fine　and　we're　fine。　We　still　believe　in　Ch