Don't I Know You? Read Online Free Page B

them.
    â€œWe’ll find out the restaurants she liked, the grocery stores sheused. We’ll figure out what her day was like today. We’ll talk to your father.”
    Steven was looking at his sneakers.
    â€œYou can help with things like that,” McGuire said. “You can make a big difference.”
    The gay guys across the street were coming home arm in arm. They waved like they saw him sitting on the stoop every night at this hour. He waved back. “When you find out what her day was like will you tell me?” he asked.
    â€œSure,” McGuire said. “Absolutely.”
    Steven scanned the street from West End to Riverside. There were still puddles in the gutter. Two days ago kids had cooled off in the hydrant Ramon had opened up.
    Christine got out of a cab on the corner.
    They stood, and McGuire held out his hand like Steven was a grown-up he’d met at a party. “I’ll be in touch,” he said.
    â€œShe liked that bar up by Columbia,” Steven said. “I can’t remember the name. She liked the college kids,” he said.
    McGuire looked at him and nodded. “Okay,” he said. He gave Steven his card. “You call if you need anything. Or just want to talk.”
    â€œI don’t miss her yet,” Steven said.
    McGuire held the back of Steven’s neck with his big hand. “You will,” he said.
    Christine came up and held Steven’s face. He felt like he’d spent the whole night being passed from hand to hand.
    McGuire introduced himself and gave her another card.
    â€œHer name was Regina,” Steven told him. “Regina Teresa Fis-chetti Engel. But everyone called her Gina.” McGuire knew all of this already, but Steven told him anyway.
    O ne fall two years ago, between nursing jobs, she’d worked a temp job at Natural History magazine at the Museum of Natural History. Her office was behind two black doors at the end of the Mayan Gold exhibit. Something in the room made Steven’s ears ring. They’d been invited to the employee Christmas party. Every year the museum decorated a giant tree with origami animals made by employees and their children. He and his mother sat at a folding table following the instructions of a college-age Japanese girl. He made two swans and a crane. His mother made a frog and a big cat.
    Afterward, the children took turns finding spots for the animals on the tree. They let the bigger kids climb the ladders and ride the Genies. He’d gotten to ride the Genie, a workman’s hand on his shoulder as they went up. He’d put his mother’s big cat on a high branch sticking out at an odd angle, eye level with the brontosaurus. He’d rested it so that it looked like it was rearing up on its hind legs. His mother had stood below him, waving. They’d both been so happy, they’d walked the mile home in the rain.
    P hil met them at the corner where Christine was getting a cab. He had Kitty in their Channel Thirteen tote bag. Steven couldn’t believe he’d forgotten her.
    â€œHow’re you doing?” Phil said. “Hanging in there?”
    Steven didn’t really feel like he needed to answer.
    Phil held the bag.
    â€œOh,” Christine said, looking worried. “I’ve got the dog,” she said. “And I’m allergic.” They all stood there for a minute, looking at Kitty in the bag. She looked back. Christine sneezed.
    Phil looked surprised. “I didn’t know you had a dog,” he said. “Or that you were allergic.”
    Christine nodded. “Yeah. I am. I do. I am.”
    A cab slowed and then sped up again.
    â€œWell, listen,” Phil said. “He can come to my place. Sam’s there.” He smiled at Steven. “It’ll be good for both of us.”
    Christine seemed willing to leave it up to Steven. His mom hadn’t liked Christine all that much. He said Phil’s was good. He took the tote bag from