“You people know each other?”
“No, darling,” Teddy said. “What’s her name? Don’t you want to introduce her?”
“This is Barbara Mahler,” Verne said. “Barbara, this is Teddy.” He had finished. He clamped his teeth onto his pipe again.
“Hello, Barbara,” Teddy said. Her voice was bright and merry. She rocked back and forth on her heels, her eyes sparkling. Barbara noticed.
“How long have you been here?” Verne said to Barbara. “In New York.”
“Just—just today.”
“Well?” Teddy said, “where shall we go? Have you had dinner, Barbara? Maybe we ought to go someplace where we can eat. What do you say, Verne?”
Verne rallied a trifle. “That’s a good idea,” he said dolefully. Presently he added: “This happened once before in Springfield, Ohio.”
Teddy laughed and took his arm. “Come on,” she said to Barbara. “Get on the other side. Do you think all three of us can fit in his little Ford?”
“I think we can,” Barbara said.
They left the building and walked down the gravel path through the darkness. Verne’s car was parked close to the building. It had not been there when she arrived. They got into the car and slammed the doors.
“Where to?” Verne murmured. He looked at Barbara.
“I don’t know any places in New York. Wherever you want to go is all right.”
“How about Kahn’s?” Teddy said. “It’s still open, isn’t it? Let’s go there.”
“All right,” Verne said. “We’ll go there.”
Kahn’s was a restaurant, down under the street level. They went down a flight of steps. It was not a fancy place. It seemed to be some sort of foreign restaurant. Each table had a red and white tablecloth over it, and a candle in the center. They sat down and Barbara picked up the menu. There were dishes like Shish-Kabob, and Borscht, and Pilaf with shrimps, and Yialandji Dolma. For dessert there was Baklava and Melomacarona. What kind of dishes were these?
The waiter came over, an old man with a big black mustache. Verne ordered and he went away.
Barbara watched Verne. She had not seen him for over a month. He looked the same. He did not seem to have changed much since he let her off a block from her house, that morning. He was staring down at the table in front of him. Teddy was watching Verne, too, watching everything he did. Her eyes were avid.
What kind of a relationship did they have? Had they— She turned the thought away. If only she had known before she came to New York! But perhaps it meant nothing. Perhaps it was just bad luck that the girl had come to the station the same night as herself. How could she tell?
If only she could talk to Verne alone!
Teddy was humming to herself again, moving her head back and forth. Why didn’t she leave! If only she would get up and go! But there was no chance of it. Obviously, she was here to stay.
The waiter came with the food. He set the big metal tray down on the edge of the table and began to unload dishes of steaming food. His thick arm pushed past her, and she drew back.
The food was spicy and strange. She did not like it very well. She ate only a little. None of the three of them said very much. Verne was glum. He ate quickly with big bites that filled up his mouth, pushing the food down with hunks of breadsticks from the glass in the center of the table. Teddy ate with rapid, nervous vitality, her fork flashing back and forth.
Time passed. The waiter refilled their coffee cups. Barbara wondered what time the last bus left back to Boston. She should have noticed while she was at the depot. But she had been too excited to notice anything. What if she missed it? What if she had to stay in New York? She glanced at Verne. He had pushed his chair back from the table, crossing his legs. Could—could she stay with him? Or would she have to go to a hotel? Now she did not want to do either, actually. But she could not go back to Boston without talking to him, without having been able to see him alone for even a moment. If only Teddy would leave!
“Well?” Teddy said. “Where’ll we go now?”
They went across the street to a little dark bar. There were few people in the bar. A group of Negro musicians were playing.
“Let’s sit here,” Teddy said. They took a table off in the corner, near the back.
Verne went up to the bar and brought back drinks for them.
“Did you come on the bus?” Teddy asked Barbara.
Barbara nodded.
“How was it?”
“All right.”
“Where are you staying?”
Barbara hesitated. She managed not to look at Verne. “I— I guess I’ll go back tonight. I thought I would stay with some friends, but they’re not here. They went out of town.”
“That’s too bad.”
“They didn’t know I was coming.”
Verne looked up at her. “How have you been?”
“Fine.”
“Were your parents surprised to see you back so soon?”
“They were a little surprised.”
“How are Penny and Felix?”
“They’re fine. They’re married now. They said to say hello to you.”
He looked at her keenly. “They know you came up here?”
“Penny drove me down to the bus station.”
“Where are you from?” Teddy asked.
“Boston.”
“Boston? That’s a nice town.”
“Yes.”
“Do you live there?”
“Yes.”
“What do you do? Go to school?”
“I graduated this spring.”
“What did you major in?”
“Political science. I thought of going into some kind of social work.”
Teddy smiled. “That should be interesting. There are plenty of people to salvage all the time. You see them everywhere. Don’t you, Verne?”
He nodded.
“I’m finished with my drink,” Teddy said. “How about another?”
Verne stirred. “All right.” He started to get to his feet.
“I’ll call her over.” Teddy waved to the waitress standing by the bar. “Sit down.”
The waitress came over, collecting their glasses on a small tray. “What’ll it be?”
“Martini for me,” Teddy said.
“Scotch and water.”
They looked at Barbara. “I don’t want any more. Nothing for me.” She shook her head.
The drinks came. Verne finished his quickly. Barbara listened to the music in the background. It was getting late. How late? She could see no clock.
“What’s the matter?” Teddy said.
WI was wondering about the last bus. I don’t know when it leaves.”
“You’re really going back tonight?”
Barbara nodded.
Verne grunted. “It’s a hell of a long way to come.” He pushed his glasses up, rubbing his eyes.
“What do you mean by that?” Teddy said.
“I mean it’s too bad she—she has to go right back. Can’t you stay at a hotel?” He adjusted his glasses into place, regarding Barbara solemnly.
“I don’t want to stay at a hotel.”
“Why not?”
“I hate hotels.”
Verne considered this. He finished his drink. After a time he looked up at Teddy. “Teddy, what do—”
“No chance,” Teddy said firmly. She smiled at Barbara. “If I wasn’t full up you could stay at my place. It’s too bad we didn’t know you were coming.”
Verne got to his feet. He went over to the bar with his glass and sat down on a vacant stool. Presently he came back with the glass full.
“Refill.” He sat down at his place. Barbara and Teddy watched him drain the glass. He set it back down with a sigh.
“Verne—” Barbara said.
He looked sleepily at her. “What is it?”
She hesitated. Both of them were watching her. Verne seemed to be staring right through her. His gaze was oblique, unfocused. As if he were seeing into another world, a world that lay someplace behind her.