American Romantic Read Online Free Page B

was awfully happy to see her now. The street was crowded and he could hear the last rumbles of the organ inside the church. Sieglinde’s hair was wet and he supposed she had gone for a swim at the Sportif. She was dressed plainly in a short skirt and white blouse, espadrilles on her feet. She said nothing for a moment, only looked at him with a slight smile.
    You, he said.
    Me, she answered.
    They had known each other only a week, the beginning of something. Two nights before, she had come to his villa for dinner and stayed on, still asleep when the alarm sounded at five a.m. He had explained about the clinic at Village Number Five and the installations at the other villages, a day’s chore. She did not hear the alarm and slept on peacefully as if the bed were her own. He had carefully pulled the sheet over her and slipped away after a soft kiss, the sergeant’s jeep already idling in the driveway.
    Sieglinde took his hand and smiled, remarking on his sweaty brow and evident weariness. She said he did not look well. Was everything all right? What happened at the clinic? Harry said that everything was fine and he would explain about the clinic later. She said she had errands to run but after the errands she was free for dinner. We can go out or I can come to you. She said, I’ll cook. I’m a good cook. I’ll cook you schnitzel if I can find veal.
    Come to the villa, Harry said.
    Poor Harry, she said. You look tired.
    Interminable sermon, he said.
    Do you go often?
    Couple of times a month, I suppose. More or less.
    The ship’s captain and I went a few weeks ago. Ugly church. That hideous window.
    You don’t like the Connecticut Window?
    Is that what they call it? What does Connecticut mean?
    It’s an American state. Like Bavaria.
    There is nothing like Bavaria in America.
    I’ll take you there sometime. You’ll like it.
    Bavaria? I’ve been to Bavaria.
    Connecticut, he said. Wonderful ocean scenery.
    There is no ocean near Bavaria, she said.
    You have me there, he said.
    I’ll see you at seven, she said, and walked off.
    Don’t be late, Harry called after her.
    Why would I be late? she called back.
    Â 
    Are you listening?
    I’m listening.
    I don’t think you are. What was I saying?
    Humbug. You were telling me about Humbug.
    I’m through with Hamburg.
    That’s what you said all right. Adieu Humbug. Adieu Neustadt and Binnenalster. Adieu Elbe. Goodbye to German men of the big blond type, arms the size of anvils. After that I lost track. You’ve worn me out.
    Move your foot.
    Why?
    Your toenail is scratching my thigh. You’ve drawn blood, I think.
    Sorry. Unintentional.
    You must keep your feet away from tender places. Also, this hammock is not—suitable.
    We’ve invented a new use, that’s true. The instructions from the manufacturer made no mention of sex in their hammock. Still, sex was not specifically prohibited. I can hear the click of your bracelets, the ones you bought in the market. They sound like castanets. What are you doing?
    Wiping away the blood. And speak softly, please.
    I don’t see any blood. And no one can hear us.
    There was a toenail’s worth of blood.
    That much? Do you really hate the hammock?
    I like the open air, and the hammock allows us to be in the open air, so I suppose I approve of the hammock.
    I’m happy you found me. I saw the ship in the harbor but I wasn’t sure you were on it. I was afraid you’d gone away, as you said you might do. And I had no idea where that might be.
    The boat will be leaving soon, I think. That’s the shipboard rumor. The crew is excited. The officers, too. They hate it here. Everyone complains. Shore leave is tightly supervised because they are so concerned about an incident. We had one last weekend but it was covered up. We have already overstayed our time by one month, and each day there are more patients, so many of them children. They are a resilient