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