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The Gate House :: Demille Nelson
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I wasn’t sure if that masculine pronoun referred to George or Augustus, and I also wondered how they handled love triangles in heaven. I said, “Yes, you will.”
Ethel said to me, or to herself, “I’m looking forward to seeing all my friends and family who went before me.”
I didn’t reply.
On the subject of reunions, Ethel informed me, “Mrs. Sutter would like to see you.”
I feigned confusion and replied, “My mother and I are barely speaking, Mrs. Allard.”
“I’m speaking of your wife.”
“Ex-wife.”
“She’s very disappointed that you haven’t called her.”
This came as a surprise, and I didn’t know how I felt about that. Actually, I felt pretty lousy, but I informed Ethel, “The phone works both ways.”
“Mr. Sutter, if I may be personal, I think you should forgive and forget.”
I slipped into my old master/servant tone of voice and said, “Mrs. Allard, I have forgiven and forgotten, and I have no wish to continue on this subject.”
But Ethel did, and since she was in a unique position to say whatever she wanted without consequence, she said to me, “You’re hurting her, and yourself.”
My goodness. Crotchety old Ethel Allard was seeing some sort of celestial light, and was determined to do something good before she got grilled by St. Peter.
Also, on a more earthly level, Ethel knew a thing or two about adultery and the weakness of the flesh, so she gave Susan a free pass on that. In other words, Ethel and Susan had something in common; to wit, they’d both crossed the Do Not Diddle line. These were two very different cases, of course, with far different results, but the bottom line was a pair of men’s shoes under their beds that didn’t belong there.
I was a little annoyed and said to her, hypothetically, “Would George have forgiven you if you-?”
“He did.”
“Oh…” I never thought that George knew about Augustus. Well, George was a forgiving soul, and I’m not. Plus, George got the free housing. I reminded her, “This subject is finished.” I looked at my watch and said, “Perhaps I’d better be going.”
“As you wish.”
I stood, but didn’t leave. Instead, I walked to the window and stared out toward the sinking sun. From here, I could see a glimpse of the Sound between the trees, and the sunlight sparkled on the water.
“What do you see?”
I glanced back at Ethel.
“Tell me what you see.”
I took a deep breath and said, “I see sunlight sparkling on the water. I see trees, and the leaves are glistening from the rain.
I wasn’t sure if that masculine pronoun referred to George or Augustus, and I also wondered how they handled love triangles in heaven. I said, “Yes, you will.”
Ethel said to me, or to herself, “I’m looking forward to seeing all my friends and family who went before me.”
I didn’t reply.
On the subject of reunions, Ethel informed me, “Mrs. Sutter would like to see you.”
I feigned confusion and replied, “My mother and I are barely speaking, Mrs. Allard.”
“I’m speaking of your wife.”
“Ex-wife.”
“She’s very disappointed that you haven’t called her.”
This came as a surprise, and I didn’t know how I felt about that. Actually, I felt pretty lousy, but I informed Ethel, “The phone works both ways.”
“Mr. Sutter, if I may be personal, I think you should forgive and forget.”
I slipped into my old master/servant tone of voice and said, “Mrs. Allard, I have forgiven and forgotten, and I have no wish to continue on this subject.”
But Ethel did, and since she was in a unique position to say whatever she wanted without consequence, she said to me, “You’re hurting her, and yourself.”
My goodness. Crotchety old Ethel Allard was seeing some sort of celestial light, and was determined to do something good before she got grilled by St. Peter.
Also, on a more earthly level, Ethel knew a thing or two about adultery and the weakness of the flesh, so she gave Susan a free pass on that. In other words, Ethel and Susan had something in common; to wit, they’d both crossed the Do Not Diddle line. These were two very different cases, of course, with far different results, but the bottom line was a pair of men’s shoes under their beds that didn’t belong there.
I was a little annoyed and said to her, hypothetically, “Would George have forgiven you if you-?”
“He did.”
“Oh…” I never thought that George knew about Augustus. Well, George was a forgiving soul, and I’m not. Plus, George got the free housing. I reminded her, “This subject is finished.” I looked at my watch and said, “Perhaps I’d better be going.”
“As you wish.”
I stood, but didn’t leave. Instead, I walked to the window and stared out toward the sinking sun. From here, I could see a glimpse of the Sound between the trees, and the sunlight sparkled on the water.
“What do you see?”
I glanced back at Ethel.
“Tell me what you see.”
I took a deep breath and said, “I see sunlight sparkling on the water. I see trees, and the leaves are glistening from the rain.