“You always feel like adog?”
Cherry rolled her eyes. “No, I always feel like—” Her voice cameout shrill. The bells were ringing over her ears. “I mean, Iknowthat I’m fat. I always know what that means. It’s not shocking that Russ cheated on me—it’s shocking that he went out with me in the first place!”
Stacia pulled her chin back. “Wait, did he cheat on you?”
“No.That’s not what I meant.” WhatdidCherry mean? Why was she letting herself get so upset? “I meant... it’s not shocking that he doesn’t want to be with me.”
“Did Russsaythat?”
Cherry set down her plate. Her head jingled. She reached up to take out the bells. “No, he said I should lose weight. And you know what?” The bells were tangled in her hair. She left them. “He’s not even wrong! I’m sure that’s what everyone thinks.”
“I don’t think that.”
Cherry shook her head. The bells rang. She tried again to take them out. “Comeon, Stacia.”
“Cherry, I never even think about your weight!”
It was Cherry’s turn to be outraged. “That’s alie.” She waved a hand at Stacia, the hand that wasn’t in her hair. “We talk aboutyourweight constantly!”
“Well, that’s mine!”
“So you’re haunted by the tiny amount of flesh on your stomach, but you never notice the eighty extra pounds that I’m carrying?”
“You’re not eighty pounds overweight, Cherry.”
“I am. Actually. Depending on the actuarial table.”
“Why are we even talking about this?”
“I don’t know!” Cherry could feel herself tearing out hair along with the bells. “Because you asked why I broke up with Russ Sutton!”
“Didyoubreak up withhim?”
“It doesn’t matter!”
“I thought you really liked him.”
“I did... but I can’t... I just can’t.” Cherry felt tearful. One of her braids had come unpinned.
“Here.” Stacia took the braid from Cherry and pinned it back in place. “Do you want the bells in or out?”
Cherry dropped her arms. “Out.”
“You should leave them in. They look cute.”
“Maybe I’m tired of looking cute.”
Stacia pulled the bells free. Some of Cherry’s hair came with them.
“I’m going to head home,” Cherry said.
“I wish you wouldn’t,” Stacia said. “Stay and play spades.”
“I don’t think I can be good company.”
Tom had finished cleaning out the garage. And possibly the cellar. The dumpster was gone from the driveway.
Cherry came home from work early on a snowy, slushy day, and Tom was standing in the foyer, rubbing Stevie with a towel. He was still wearing his coat and boots.
