In Between Days Read Online Free PDF Page B

or at least not like they used to. The materials he chose were too expensive, they’d told him, his timelines too long. It was for these reasons and others that he’d never made partner. That he’d remained an associate architect for twenty-two years.
    He picks up his drink and takes a sip and notices that both Elise and Lorna are looking at him expectantly.
    “Isn’t that crazy?” Lorna says.
    “What?”
    “Weren’t you even listening?”
    And he realizes then that he must have zoned out, something that’s been happening to him more and more often lately. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I must have drifted.”
    They both stare at him. “Well, Elise was just telling me that Woody Harrelson came into their gallery today and bought three paintings. All by Guzman. Stayed, what—five minutes?”
    “Five minutes,” Elise confirms.
    “Woody Harrelson?” Elson says.
    “Come on, Elson. You know who Woody Harrelson is. The actor?”
    Elson stares at them blankly.
    “Jesus, Elson. Don’t you ever go to the movies?” Elise starts to laugh.
    “I don’t like movies,” Elson says.
    They both stare at him in disbelief, and Elson feels a sudden need to rescue himself. “I like Godard,” he says finally, “but I’m not sure if he’s still making movies anymore. Is he still alive?”
    They both smile at him, but before they can answer, the phone rings, and Lorna jumps up and runs over to the counter to answer it. She starts to laugh at something the caller has just said and then she says, “This is so weird. We were just talking about you.” Then she looks at Elise.
It’s Guzman
, she mouths. “Well, aren’t you the little star,” she continues, laughing. “Uh-huh. I know. It’s totally nuts, right?”
    Elson reaches for his drink and finishes it off. He tries to remember who Guzman is. He’s met so many of Lorna’s friends in the past year that it’s hard for him to distinguish one from another. All wannabe artists, he thinks. Poseurs. Frauds. He looks at Elise and asks her for a cigarette, which she happily gives him.
    “What are these?” he says, eyeing the soft turquoise pack.
    “American Spirits,” she says. “They’re organic. No chemicals.”
    Elson looks at the cigarette, then lights it. In the background, he can still hear Lorna talking. “No, totally, it’s fine. Sure. Come over anytime. We’re just sitting here having tea.”
    Elson looks at her, and she looks away. A moment later, she’s off the phone and back at the table.
    “Guzman’s coming over,” she says. “He’s blacked out, too. The whole east side of Montrose apparently. Anyway, he’s bringing Carrie.”
    “Well, if we’re having a party …,” Elson says, reaching for the bottle of gin, not finishing his sentence.
    Lorna purses her lips.
    “I love Guzman,” Elise says.
    “Who’s Guzman?” Elson says, reaching for the tonic. He looks at Lorna, who’s no longer looking at him.
    “Oh, I’m sure you’ve met him,” Elise says after a moment, trying to break the tension. “Tall gay man. Always wears black. Even in the summer. I think you met him at Carrie’s, or maybe it was Stu’s. Anyways, he’s a brilliant artist.”
    “Apparently,” Elson says smugly, drawing on his cigarette.
    “Don’t mind Elson,” Lorna says to Elise. “He’s just had a bad day.”
    “Oh yeah?” Elise says. “What happened?”
    Elson downs the rest of his drink quickly, then reaches for the bottle.“My daughter just got expelled from college,” he says, looking at the back of Lorna’s head.
    Lorna turns around finally, her eyes suddenly soft. He can see her surprise. “Are you serious?” she says. “Chloe?”
    “Yep.”
    “What happened?”
    “That I can’t tell you, my dear. Wish I could, but Cadence won’t tell me a thing. All I know is that she’s back at home for the rest of the term.”
    “So, it’s not permanent?” Elise says.
    “I have no idea,” he says. Then he takes the bottle and starts to pour,